Easy to give Up
by jds523
Summary: Love is preserved while all around alliances are challenged and blood is shed. The group is pushed to it's limits when they encounter another group that will take what they want by any mean necessary. And Daryl will protect what is his by any means, including burning everything to the ground. When the fire dies down who will remain standing?
1. Chapter 1

Chap 1...

IF THIS CHAPTER LOOKS ODD, WITH NO PARAGRAPHS, SORRY. I HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM AND THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE BETTER. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE STORY. IF YOU DO PLEASE REVIEW.

Emery ran as fast as her feet could carry her. The steep muddy walls of the ravine made it impossible to climb free. Maybe it was the fear of dieing alone in the woods. Maybe it was the fear of being caught and being drug back to where she was running from. But no matter what she did she couldn't get her brain to tell her feet to stop. Fight or flight mode had taken over and she wasn't about to die in that damp cold place.

Turning her head Emery looked to be sure she was alone. As she looked behind her, her feet hit something hard and solid. Before she knew it she fell hard into the shallow water. With rocks everywhere she cut her face and arms up. Catching her breath she pushed her body up from the ground to look at what she had tripped over.

She stood up and couldn't believe what laid in the water at her feet. It was a man. She approached him slowly. Unsure weather he'd been bitten she wasn't about to take a chance. He had blood staining his pants and shirt. It wasn't hard to tell it was the arrow in his side causing the blood there She got close enough to nudge him with her foot. When he didn't move she got close enough to look him over. She ripped his pants right above his knee to reveal a large gash. That answered the question as to weather the blood was coming from a bite.

She paced back and fourth for a moment. When she tried to wipe the sweat from her forehead, but after she ran her head over her head she found blood on her arm. 'Blood' she thought to herself. She had blood all over from all the cuts to her face, head and arms. If there were no walkers around there would be soon. The smell of blood was all around them.

With her hands on her hips she tilted her head back and closed her eyes. For a moment she was back home. Lost in her subconscious Emery was back in her back yard when she was ten. Running through the damp grass and the cool night air catching fire fly s. The only worry she had was catching more bugs than her friends. Life was simple, easy and care free. Opening her eyes again she fought back the tears as she wished more than anything in the world that she could go back to that moment. If even for only an hour.

Turning her attention back to the unconscious man she knew he stood no chance against any walker. She couldn't just leave him there. What kind of person would that make her. The world had made her do things she was finding it hard to live with now. Those were things she had no choice in, it was kill or be killed. But dragging an unconscious man through the woods would make her an easy target for walkers. While leaving him there to save herself would make impossible for her to ever close her eyes again without seeing his face. "Shit!" She stomped her foot.

Emery wrapped her arms under the mans arms and around his chest. She drug him as quickly as she could. Considering he was fairly larger than her the pace she moved at was rather slow. Under her breath she prayed to get herself and him out of that ravine. After about fifty feet she had to put him down to take a break. Standing straight up she looked for anything that offered any hope of help. She wanted to scream, but knew that would be a bad idea. She was already in enough trouble she didn't need to make things any worse by drawing attention to herself.

Like a sign from God as she turned to her left Emery saw a rope. It had been tied to a tree at the top of the ravine. Someone else must of gotten stuck, but they must of been lucky enough for someone else to help them. She cupped her hands and looked to the sky 'thank you God' she felt like crying but didn't have the time to waste.

Looking back down at the ruff looking man she couldn't help but wonder how she was going to be able to pull him up the side by herself. Getting herself up the embankment was going to be hard enough. The thought of getting him up seemed down right impossible, but impossible had never stopped her before.

Emery pulled the man until he was just under where the rope was. She tied the rope under his arms, around his chest and knotted it. She pulled on it to be sure the knot would hold. She didn't want him falling half way up the hill. Taking a deep breath she began to climb. A few times she lost her footing and slipped. When she reached the top she took a long look around to be sure that no walkers would sneak up on her while she tried to pull the man up.

Rapping the rope around her hands she began to pull as hard as she could. It felt like forever before she was able to get him to start moving. She groaned and cussed as she tugged. It seemed that she would get him five or six feet up and then the rope would slip through her hands, burning and tearing at her skin. "You better have a cure for this shit, all the trouble your causing me you asshole." She cussed the man as she pulled one last time to get him over the edge.

Once the man was safely at the top she sat down to look at her now bleeding hands. They were tore up pretty good. Gripping anything wouldn't be possible. But that was the least of her problems at the moment. They were alone with no shelter and it was quickly becoming dark. She looked around for anything that she could make shelter out of for the night. Leaving them out in the middle of the wilderness all night wasn't a good idea. She had no weapons other than the sticks on the ground.

With the rope around the mans chest Emery did the only thing she could think of. She tied the other end around herself and began to walk. There had to be something close by that she could use as a shelter. And thing would work for her. She'd already had one bout of dumb luck finding the rope. What were the chances of it happening again. As the sun sank below the tree line so sank her heart in her chest. She was losing hope of finding anything that could help her.

Stopping to catch her breath Emery yawned. She was so tired she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. "Okay, I need something, anything. I can't spend the night in the dark walking around in circles." She spoke to no one. She didn't want to move. But she had to. She knew if she stopped for to long she would fall asleep standing up. So she just kept walking, pulling the man behind her.

After another hour of walking Emery was sure her eyes had began to play tricks on her. Starring ahead of her she swore she saw a wall. Moving a little closer she could see another wall. "What the hell?" Again she spoke to no one. She moved closer to it until she could see that it wasn't just walls. She was looking at a small hunting cabin. She walked quickly toward it. If there was someone inside maybe they could help her.

She left the man outside while she walked through the unlocked door. It was one room, and not a very big one at that. The only thing that wasn't in the room was the toilet, which was in a tiny room no bigger than closet. As she drug the man inside she noticed that the windows had all been boarded up. That with the thick layer of dust it wasn't hard to tell that it had been a very long time since anyone had been inside of the cabin.

Emery shut the door and pushed the bed in front of it. It was the largest piece of furniture in the whole cabin. The only light in the place was the moon light leaking in through some small cracks in the boards over the windows. She dumped her back pack into the middle of the floor and lit a candle. Finally feeling safe, or at least as safe as one person could in this new world of flesh eating monsters, she turned her attention back to the injured man.

She lifted him into the bed and began to exam his wounds. To get to them she had to take his shirt and jeans off. Leaving him in nothing more than his boxers she could finally see the full extent of his injuries. She took an extra shirt from her bag and began to tear it into strips. The first thing she had to do was remove the arrow from his side. She knew pulling it back out would just cause more damage and possibly cause bleeding that she wouldn't be able to stop. So she pushed it on through. Taking two pieces of fabric she placed them on the front and back of his side. Taking a few others she tied them together then tied them around his body to hold the others in place over the wound.

She then looked down at his leg. The gash was large. She poured water over it to clean it. There wasn't much more she could do. She placed a clean piece of fabric over and tied more to hold it in place. Sitting on the edge of the bed she yawned as she watched his chest rise and fall. "I really hope you live through the night" she spoke to him knowing that he wouldn't answer her.

Turning her back to him she listened to him breath as she looked down at her hands. They hurt so bad. She poured some water on two pieces of fabric then rapped one around each hand. The cool water helped with the pain, but didn't stop it. She laid back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. At that moment she wanted something to help with the pain. Something to help her sleep. Something anything that would help take her mind off of things. Every time she closed her eyes it took her a little longer to open them. Until she closed them and she was finally asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chap 2...

Sun poured through a crack in the window and found it's way to Emery's eyes. She groaned at the thought of having to move. Every muscle in her body hurt. When she tried to ball her hands up the pain and memory of the day before came rushing back to her. Dam it! She winched holding her hands in front of her. Blood had seeped through the fabric sometime in the night. Sighing she made herself move and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. Looking over her shoulder she noticed the man fidgeting. She really hoped he'd give her some sign that he was going to wake up soon.

She watched as his eyes moved under his eye lids, wondering to herself what kind of person was this man. Was he a city man forced out into the woods by walkers. Out of his element did a bow get the better of him, thus the arrow in his side. Or was he just out walking looking for something when someone else mistook him for something other than a living being and shot him. Was he a sweet man that would do anything for the people he loved. She'd just have to wait and see.

With him laying there in nothing more than a pair of boxers she lowered the blanket to check his wounds. Looking him over she noticed something new that hadn't shown up the night before. His ankle was black and blue, swollen and appeared to misshapen. She took a deep breath. If it was broken there was nothing she could do about it. She had to try and wake him up. There was no food in the cabin and they were beginning to run out of water. Emery had no idea where she was or if she could find any help. Dragging him through the woods any more was not an option. He had to wake up. He had to walk if there was any hope of leaving that place.

"Hey, wake up" she spoke gently and dabbed his head with a wet cloth. The man began to stir. "Wake up. You have to wake up" the man opened his eyes just a little. "Hi, I'm Emery. Your safe, your hurt, but your safe." She reassured the man. He opened his eyes fully and tried to sit up. Wincing from the pain in his side and leg he found it hard to move much at all.

"What the hell happen?" The man finally spoke. When he realized that he was in nothing but his boxers he grabbed the blanket to cover himself.

"You fell, and somehow got an arrow in the side. I think your ankle might be broken too." Emery sat there for what seemed like forever, waiting for the man to explain how he'd ended up in the ravine. When he didn't say anything she spoke up.

"What's your name?"

"Daryl"

"Well Daryl I've done what I can for the cuts, but I can't do anything for your ankle." She waited again.

"Screw that, I have to get back." Daryl moved again. This time he got to a sitting position with his legs over the edge of the bed.

"I wouldn't do that." Emery warned him. She didn't think he'd be able to walk. The last thing he needed to do was cause more damage to himself. Anything that caused him more trouble walking would mean it would take longer to find help.

"I don't care what you'd do. I'm leaving." He got up quickly. But the pain was to much for him to bare. Once up on both feet he fell right to the ground. Emery rushed to his aid. Daryl just shooed her away. "I don't need your help." She stood there and watched as he got up using his one good foot. He fell back into the bed. He looked at Emery with hatred in his eyes.

"Ready to admit that you can't move." Emery crossed her arms and starred him down. She wasn't pleased with the attitude he was giving her considering the hell she went through the day before to keep him from being eaten. "Weather you want to admit it or not you can't move and you need help. And considering I'm the only one here I guess it's my help you need."

"I don't need anyone's help." Daryl looked down at his ankle then started to unwrap the cloth from his leg. She could see the pain in his eyes. Huffing and rolling her eyes she sat down next to him.

"Let me have it." She took the cloth from him and swatted his hands out of the way.

"I don't..."

"Yea I know you don't need my help." She continued to clean the wound without another word. Daryl laid there and watched her. No matter how much it hurt his pride he had to give in and let her help. He was completely immobile. When she was finished she turned back to him. "Where were you going?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You said you had to get back, back where?"

"A farm, a group of people." Daryl watched as she stood up and went to her back pack. She rummaged through it until she found a bottle of water and took it to him. Standing there he looked her up and down. She had brown hair that fell just below her shoulders. Her eyes were hazel with dark circles under them. She appeared to have been up for days. Lean and muscular she wore jeans that had holes in the knees. The over sized tank top she was wearing dropped revealing a tattoo on her back between her should blades.

"How far is this farm? Can we walk there?" She asked knowing full well that he couldn't walk and more than likely wouldn't be able to for a few days.

"Who the hell is walking?" Daryl asked annoyed because she knew that he wasn't walking anywhere.

"I can help you."

"Yea right."

"I drug your ass out of that ditch yesterday."

"That was different."

"Fine tell me where it is and I'll go, your ass can stay here and starve." Emery began to pack her bag up. "For someone that was laying and waiting to be eaten you sure have a funny way of showing gratitude."

"I didn't ask for your help."

"Great, don't ask for it now, see what happens. Just tell me where this farm is. Cause personally I don't care what happens to you." She turned to face him. Daryl narrowed his eyes. His pride was broken and that was turning his face red. "So" Emery waved her hands in the air. She gave him a choice. Go with her, let her help him. Or stay there and try to take care of himself.

"Give me my cloths." Daryl put his cloths on. Leaning against the wall he watched as Emery pushed the bed out from in front of the door. Emery walked to him and wrapped her arm around his waist while he put his arm around her shoulder.

"You ready?" She asked him unsure weather she herself was ready or not. Daryl just nodded his head. They started out the door.

Every few feet Daryl would let a small groan slip. Emery felt bad forcing him to walk. But she knew that staying at the cabin with no food and no way of defending themselves, was not an option. After walking for what seemed like half a day, but really had only been an hour, the pain really began to get to him. He was slowing his pace. While she was trying to keep moving as quickly as she could. There was no way she was sleeping in the woods at night.

The pain over took him and Daryl started to fall. Emery tried to catch him but couldn't. With his arm still around her shoulder he fell and took her down with him. "Dam it!" He yelled. "Are you trying to kill me?" Daryl snapped at Emery as she was trying to help him up.

"If I wanted you to die I would of left your sorry ass in that ditch. Now get up we have to keep moving." She pulled him to his feet before he could protest.

"You're being a real pain in the ass."

"Yea and this was a lot easier when you couldn't talk. A lot less bitching." Emery let go of him and took a step away. Daryl gave her a dirty look and tried to walk away. After only a few steps he stumbled. She quickly ran to him locking her arm around his waist. "The sooner you just let me help you the sooner we can get to this farm and you and I never have to speak again." She smiled at him.

"Fine." Daryl responded and they began to walk again.

I WILL BE UPDATING AS FAST AS I CAN. BUT I HAVE A NEW BABY AND A 4 YEAR OLD SO PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON ME. AND PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU LIKE IT.


	3. Chapter 3

Chap 3...

Rick climbed to the top of the RV. Joining Dale he looked through the scope of his rifle scanning the area for walkers. "Daryl never came back yesterday?" Dale more or less asked Rick.

"No. If he doesn't come back today I guess we'll be looking for two people." Rick answered.

"That's just what we need to do. Send more people out to look for that redneck." Shane's voice came from the ladder as he came into sight.

"We can't just leave him out there if he's hurt." Rick responded.

"He knew what he was doing. If anyone can take care of themselves in the woods it should be him. If he got himself hurt then that's his problem. That's one less trouble maker around here." Shane pointed toward the trees. He was tried of sending people out to find Sophia only for them not to return. "At what point do you admit that little girl is not coming back? How many people do we lose before you start thinking about those that are still alive?"

"We can't just give up on people. What does that make us?" Rick got in Shane's face. He'd grown tried of Shane's fight for power.

"Alive! That's what it makes us." Shane puffed his chest out. He wasn't about to back down from Rick. Before either of them could say anything else Dale spoke up.

"Guys, there are two people walking out of the woods." Dale pointed to where he saw them.

"Walkers?" Rick asked.

"I don't think so. One of them looks like Daryl. But I can't tell." Dale answered as he watched Rick and Shane climb down the ladder quickly. They took off running through the field to where the two people were coming from. As he got close enough to see them good Rick put his gun back in the holster. Standing there as Daryl and Emery approached him he looked to his side as Shane caught up to him.

"What the hell happen to you?" Rick asked taking Daryl's other side.

"Dam horse tried to kill me." Daryl limped with Rick on one side and Emery on the other.

"Who's this?" Shane asked looking Emery up and down.

"Amber something." Daryl rolled his eyes.

"Emery!" She was annoyed that she had done so much for him and he couldn't even remember her name. "I found him unconscious in a ravine. I've never seen some one so appreciative of help." Emery stepped aside as Shane took Daryl from her.

They got to the front porch of the farm and Emery stopped. She watched as Rick and Shane took Daryl in the house. Feeling really out of place she held her breath and looked around. There seemed to be people everywhere doing all kinds of different things. "Alone in the woods with Daryl Dixon, your one lucky girl." A voice came from behind her.

"How so?" Emery asked turning around to see a thin blond.

"Most of the time anything that comes out of the woods after being alone with Daryl Dixon, comes out dead." Andrea grinned slightly. Emery didn't know weather she was serious or not. After the gruff way he treated her, Emery didn't doubt the woman. "Andrea." She extended her hand.

"Emery."

"Well Emery welcome to our little camp." Andrea smiled and walked away. Over the following week Emery worked her self into the swing of things. She did everything she could to help. Most of her free time she spent with Shane. For some reason she was drawn to him. And he didn't mind the company. He'd spent most of his time with Lori and Carl, that was until Rick came back. Then he spent most of his time alone. It wasn't that Emery didn't notice the power struggle for power between Rick and Shane. She just didn't care at that moment. It seemed to be nothing more than a pissing contest, and that's what men do.

After observing them for a while Emery just concluded that the tension between Rick and Shane had to have something to do with Lori. She didn't know what had occurred and she didn't want to know. She was enjoying her flirting with Shane. Not that there was much else to do in her free time. She also noticed that Daryl kept his distance from everyone. The fact that he had not thanked her for what she did for him was really getting under her skin. He would have been dead if it wasn't for her and he can't even thank her. " What's his problem?" Emery asked Shane as they built the fire one night.

"Who knows, maybe his mom didn't hold him enough as a baby." Shane spoke with anger in his voice. It wasn't hard to tell that Shane didn't like Daryl, then again Shane didn't seem to like any one these days.

As the fire started to die down and everyone began to retreat to their tents only Emery and Shane remained. They didn't speak, just sat in silence. When Rick emerged from his tent and started for the fire Shane make a quick escape with the excuse that he had to use the bathroom. Emery watched as he sat down across from her without saying a word. His eyes were red and looked as if he'd been crying. He took his wedding band off and looked at it intently. Emery sat there wondering if she should leave or ask him if he was okay. She tried hard not to stair. It was obvious that he was hurting. When he finally looked up and noticed her he cleared his throat. "Sorry, I didn't notice any one else here." He spoke as he put his ring back on.

"Everything okay?" She asked know that something was wrong.

"Yea." Rick had never been one to blubber like a fool when things got tough. "Couldn't sleep on that cot anymore." It was clearly a lie, but the best one he could come up with at that moment. The moment was uncomfortable to say the least and Emery was looking for a reason to get up and leave. When she saw Shane return to his tent she got up and went into his tent. Rick didn't notice her leave. But someone in the distance did.

Daryl watched as Emery followed Shane into his tent. He didn't care for Shane to begin with, but watching him flirt with Emery all day really put him over the edge. He'd known what was going on while Shane and Lori carried on. And then when he'd come back with Andrea, the stupid look on their faces told the whole story. Daryl couldn't understand why all the girls seem to flock to Shane for no good reason.

Wondering around the camp on watch Daryl was alone. It had been hours since he watched Emery go into Shane's tent. When he saw a shadow in the moon light he hid behind a tree. When he stepped out from behind the tree he found himself holding his bow to Emery's face. What the hell is your problem, jumping at shadows Emery snapped at him pushing his bow out of her face.

"Crazy girl what are you doing without your boyfriend?" Daryl was harsh.  
"Your creepy you know that?" Emery asked and just walked away shaking her head. She went back to Shane's tent. After she zipped the tent behind her she laid down on the ground with him placing her head on his chest.

"Where did you go?" Shane asked playing with her hair.

"I went to the bathroom and almost got killed."

"What a walker?"

"No something scarier, a redneck." Emery laid there thinking about Daryl. His hard ass man exterior mixed with his scared little boy eyes. It was easy to see that his social growth had been stunted at an early age. But his need to be wanted was just as real as anyone else there. She closed her eyes trying to sleep but every time she did a pair of blue starred at her.

Emery laid there listening to Shane breath as he slept. Taking a deep breath she could smell the rain coming. They were all going to continue looking for Sophia in the morning. The rain wouldn't make anything any easier. But there was still hope after Daryl found her doll. They'd lost enough people, and losing a child would be twice as hard to deal with. But bringing her back safely would make their lives seem worth while again. Giving up was easy, living was the hard part of things now.


	4. Chapter 4

**THIS STORY WILL NOT COMPETLEY FOLLOW THE SAME STORY LINE AS THE SHOW. BUT IF YOU LIKE IT LET ME KNOW.**

The next morning every one spread out on the hunt for hope that Sophia could be brought back safely. Daryl seemed to need to find her just as much as her own mother. No one was sure what he had vested in that little girl but he'd shown no concern for anything else the way he did for finding Sophia.

Rick had broke every one up into pairs and sent them out in the cold rain. Shane went with Andrea while Emery went with Daryl. Emery was annoyed at just the thought of Daryl let alone being stuck with him for the day. Not that he was very fond of her either. As they trudged over the wet ground Emery kept sighing deeply. Every time she did Daryl get more irritated. "What?" Daryl snarled at her the next time she sighed.

Emery was caught off guard by his sudden burst of rage towards her. "My feet are wet." She answered him meekly. Daryl growled and turned around beginning to walk again. "Bitch, bitch that's all you dam women do." He didn't look back at her.  
"Dam women? I kept your ass from dieing did I not?" Emery was offended by what he said.

Daryl turned back around and got right in her face. "You didn't do anything but bug the shit out of me, just like your doing now." He turned back around and started to walk again.

"You know what dick wad, if I bug you so much why don't you go on your own and I'll do the same." Emery flipped him off and then began to walk in another direction. Pride got the better of Daryl and he wouldn't turn around to tell her not to go. If she wanted to go then he was going to let her. She was grown, she could do what ever she wanted.

A few miles away Andrea and Shane walked in silence most of the morning. But it was eating her up inside. Andrea had to know what was going on between Shane and Emery. "What's going on with you and the new girl?" She finally asked. Shane stopped and looked at her.

"Nothing why?" He eventually answered as he began to walk again.

"That's a lie." Andrea huffed.

"Why do you care?" Shane stopped and turned to her. He had that lustful look in his eyes again.

"I don't." She folder her arms.

"If you didn't you wouldn't ask." Shane back her toward a tree until his body was against hers. "You miss the car?" He kissed her neck.

"That was a one time thing." Andrea smiled as she placed her hand on the back of his head while he still kissed her neck.

"It doesn't have to be." Shane took a hold of her face and kissed her.

Emery stopped to rest on a stump as the sun rose high above the trees. She had been walking for almost an hour since she'd parted ways with Daryl. She wasn't exactly partial to being alone in the woods but she was willing to take her chances to get away from him. Closing her eyes she took a moment to enjoy the breeze. Hearing the sound of rustling in the not to far distance she spun around toward the noise.

She didn't want a walker to sneak up on her so she went toward the sound. If any one was going to have the upper hand it was going to be her. Following the direction of the sound she began to recognized what she was hearing. The sound of two people moving over the grass. The soft moans. The heavy breathing. Peaking out from behind a tree Emery froze at the sight before her.

There on the ground was Shane and Andrea having sex. Emery couldn't believe it. Her and Shane had not had sex but she was sure things were leading that way. What was he going to do screw Andrea in the woods them come back to the farm and pretend nothing happened in hopes of still getting in her pants. Turning around she make a quick and silent retreat.

Emery got a few feet away and began to run. She felt so betrayed. She felt like she had really clicked with Shane. She ran as if she was running from her feelings. Without warning someone came out from behind a tree. They took her to the ground with their hand over her mouth. Her body began to tremble from shock. Looking up she realized it was Daryl that had his hand to his mouth. He held his finger up to his mouth implying that she should remain silent. He them pointed off to her left. There were three walkers crouched over a body.

Daryl helped her to her feet then pulled the string back on his bow. He shot one of the walkers through the back of the head. Emery and he then attacked the other two from behind. Emery beat one in the head with a large stick. Daryl beat his with a rock. Standing back up he pulled the arrow out of the head of the one walked then stuck it through the head of the body they were eating from. He wanted to be sure they were all dead.

Standing back watching Daryl wipe the blood from his arrow Emery felt like she was going to puke. Not from killing the walker but from all the ups and downs of the day. Daryl turned around just as she turned her back to him and puked. "Ain't you ever killed one before?" He asked her as she wiped her mouth on her sleeve.

"Just leave me alone." Emery started walking back toward the farm. Rick told every one to be back before dark, and that wasn't to far off. Daryl followed a few steps behind her. He'd been pretty hard on her earlier in the day and he was beginning to feel bad for that now. "How much further?" Emery asked knowing Daryl wasn't to far behind her. She was wore out and they'd been walking for what seemed like forever.

"A ways yet." He answered in a mild tone. He knew they had gotten pretty far from the farm. He was good with distances, Emery not so much. She sighed feeling as thought she could collapse right then and there. "What's going on with you and that cop?" Daryl wasn't one to stick his nose into places it didn't belong. But he wanted to know why she seemed to flock to Shane over anyone else.

"What?" Emery was shocked by his sudden interest in her. She knew what he was talking about but she was hoping that playing stupid would get him off the subject. But no luck.  
"That cop, why did you spend the night in his tent last night? You like him or something?"

Emery stopped and turned around. Getting face to face with him. With the look on her face is was clear that she meant business. "No I don't like him, and stop watching me. It's creepy. And what I do is none of your dam business." She turned back around and started to walk again.

They were just minutes away from camp with a noise to the left of them made them stop. Daryl quickly got in front of Emery. Putting himself between her and any danger that may be headed their way. She looked at him stunned that he was so annoyed by her hours ago and now he was going out of his way to protect her.

Standing there Daryl waited for the noise to come closer. He cocked his bow and held it up ready to shoot anything that was completely dead but needed to be. When he lowered his bow Emery placed her hand on his shoulder and looked around him. Not to far away was Shane and Andrea. Shane stopped and took a hold of Andrea kissing her one last time before returning to camp. They had not seen Daryl and Emery so they walked away.

Daryl turned to Emery, he had a churning in his stomach. The hurt expression on her face said it all. Emery did have feelings for Shane. He didn't know what to say so he said nothing at all. They walked back to the farm in silence. Emery felt embarrassed. She knew her face gave her away after they saw Shane and Andrea together. But knowing that Daryl wasn't the gossiping type she knew it would stay with him.

When they got close enough to see the farm house they could see everyone standing right next to the front porch. Daryl and Emery looked at one another before they started running. When they got closer Rick broke away and came to them. "What's going on?" Emery asked before Rick could say anything.

"Some one found Sophia. She's fine, a little scared and hungry but safe." Rick answered. Daryl and Emery looked past him to see Carol holding tightly to her little girl as every one around them looked on. It was like Christmas morning, no one was with out a smile.

"Who found her?" Daryl asked. He'd wanted so bad to be the hero that returned her to her mothers arms.

"Your not gonna believe me when I tell you." Rick looked at both of them.

"Who?" Daryl asked again.  
"Merle."

"Who's Merle?" Emery asked. She'd never herd of him before that moment. But it was clear from the look on the faces of the two men before her that they both knew who he was. Daryl and Rick both looked at each other then back at her. Emery didn't know who Merle was, but she would soon.

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	5. Chapter 5

Chap 5...

Rick, Daryl and Emery all began to walk to where the group was gathered. Every one rejoiced and seemed to be happy in a way that no one had been in a long time. Emery looked around to see Shane and Andrea swapping puppy dog eyes back and fourth. She rolled her eyes before she stomped away. Daryl noticed but didn't follower her. He knew what it was about but he figured that she just needed her space.

"Daryl your brother is over at your tent." Glen pointed to Daryl's tent that he'd set up well away from the rest of the group. Daryl nodded his head to say thanks then began the walk to his tent. He wasn't sure how he felt about Merle being back. In a way that made him feel bad. Not being sure weather he wanted his own brother back.

If Daryl was truthful with him self then he had to admit that his life seemed to have improved with Merle out of the picture. All of his life any memory with Merle in it included trouble of some kind. And the past months with him gone Daryl had been able to really become part of the group. Feel like he was really wanted around. And now Merle could very easily throw a wrench in all of that.

When he got just feet from his tent Merle stepped out of the tent and stopped starring at him. They Dixon brothers stood there in silence for a few moments before either spoke. 'Well baby brother looks like you've done pretty good for your self with out ole Merle around." Merle spoke looking around at the farm.

"Where have you been?" Daryl stepped closer to his brother. His eyes wondered to the stump where his hand use to be.

"One handed and I can still kill those dirty bastards better than any man with two hands. That's where I've been. Out there surviving like a real man. Not here with a bunch of pansies watching my back." Merle took every chance he could to be little Daryl. But then again it had been that way every day of their lives.

"We looked for you. I almost died trying to find you." Daryl tried to defend himself.

"Who you and the assholes that chained me to that roof top in the first place. You don't have to lie. I know you didn't want me around anymore. But here I am so were gonna have to figure out a way to get along. Now, I'm sleeping here where are you going to sleep." Merle looked at him with evil in his eyes. Daryl knew that look. Merle had giving him that look many times during their childhood. He would take something from Daryl, give him that look, than when Daryl would try to take it back he would beat the shit out of him. Daryl didn't want to cause a scene so he just walked away.

That night they had a huge dinner to celebrate Sophia safe return. Andrea made sure Emery knew. It took everything she had not to smack her the moment Andrea said her name. But Emery led on like she hadn't seen to two of them in the woods that day. She just told Andrea that she wasn't feeling well and that she was just going to stay in her tent for the night.

At dinner when Rick asked where Emery was Andrea told him. Daryl took notice as he left the room carrying two plates of food. Merle didn't want to eat with every one else so he made Daryl bring him his food. Walking to the tent he took the long way around so he could go by Emery's tent. There was no light inside, he just assumed that she was asleep. Pausing for a moment he wondered what he was doing. Why all of the sudden did he care if she was sick.

Just as he got ready to start walking Emery came out from behind her tent. "Jesus Daryl what are you doing?" She hissed. He'd scared the shit out of her.

"I thought you might be hungry." He offered her his plate of food. It was the quickest lie he could come up with.

"Thank you but no." She smiled at him. This was the first nice thing he'd done for her. Daryl nodded and began to walk away. "Wait, did you really just come out here to eat with me?" Emery began to wonder about him.

"I saw you were upset earlier, and you didn't come to dinner. Just thought I would check on ya."

"That's sweet. But I'll be fine. Go eat." She watched as Daryl retreated to his tent. She realized what he was really doing when she saw Merle take one plate of food while he started to eat from the other. She had only known Merle for a few hours but she had already made up her mind that she didn't like him. And she was going to do anything she could to avoid him.

The next morning Emery wanted to thank Daryl again for what he'd done. Making her way to his tent she had butterflies in her stomach. It was just Daryl. Why did she feel this way. When she got close she could see him walking off into the woods. She started to run and as she reached his tent Merle stepped out from behind it right in front of her. "Hey there hot cakes." Merle smiled his creepy rapist smile.

"Hi." Emery looked past him to Daryl hoping that he would turn around and see her and come back.

"I don't believe we've met. I'm Merle." He stuck his hand out.  
"Emery." She was hesitant but eventually took a hold of his hand. When she looked this time Daryl was gone. Now all she could do was find a reason to retreat to the safety of the group.

"You seem wound tighter than an ole truck with no oil." Merle stepped closer to her. She looked up to him confused by what he said. 'A truck with no oil' what the hell did that mean. "You need Merle to lube you up?"

"And that's my cue to exit." Emery turned to walk away but he grabbed her by the arm and turned her back to face him.  
"You don't know what your missing, I can give you things no other man has."

"What's that the clap?" She jerked away from him and began to run. It was clear that getting caught alone with Merle would put her in a position she didn't want to be in. As she ran toward the largest group of people she could find she found Rick first. He stopped to ask her if she was feeling better but he could clearly see the fear in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked taking her by the arms.

"Nothing, I'm fine." She answered then looked back at Merle.  
"Did he do something?" Rick asked knowing all to well the kind of person Merle Dixon was. And the kind of things he was capable of.  
"He just made a crude comment. No big deal." Emery grinned then walked away. Rick wanted to give Merle the benefit of the doubt. He had brought Sophia back, and the little girl talked about him like he'd been an Angel the whole time she was with him. It didn't matter to Rick, weather he only harassed the grown women or everyone. If he stepped out of line just once he was gone.

When she got to the back of the house she expected to find someone she could help with something. She was willing to do any kind of work at that point to get her mind off the last two days. She huffed looking for some one and finding no one. That was until she saw Shane and Andrea walking in her direction. They had obviously just come back from their 'walk' in the woods. 'Ahhhh' she spoke to herself. At that point all she wanted to was berry her head in the dirt.

Instead of digging a hole she decided to go back to her tent. She knew hiding away from the world wasn't going to solve anything but for the moment she felt it was the only way of keeping her sanity. She sat with her back against a tree next to her tent. In the shade she rested with her eyes closed. Until she herd some one walking toward her. Looking up anger rushed over her. Andrea walked up and knelled down next to her. "Rick asked me to come check on you. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. How's Shane?" Emery asked. She just couldn't stop herself. By the time he tried to shut her mouth the words were already out.  
"He's fine." Andrea was taken back. Unsure of what Emery meant by that she didn't volunteer any information.

"You know he was trying to get me to sleep with him just the night before you two had your little encounter in the woods." She did it again. This time she wanted to slap herself.

"I'm sorry. Lets be honest though your not really his type." Andrea stood up with a smug look on her face.  
"What's that easy." Emery didn't stand up. She really didn't have the energy to kick Andrea's ass so she wasn't going to try.

"Just because Shane.."

"Just go on Andrea." Emery cut her off and shooed her with her hand. Andrea huffed and walked away. Emery watched to be sure she wasn't going to turn around. When she didn't Emery laid her head back again and closed her eyes. The only thing that could of topped that day would have been being eaten by a walker.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N ... I HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING THIS STORY AS MUCH AS I AM ENJOYING WRITING IT... AND IF SO PLEASE REVIEW... THANKS FOR READING**_

The next few days Emery kept pretty much to herself. Things around the farm house seemed off. Everyone had fallen into a false sense of safety. Everyone's guard was down. Well everyone's but Andrea's. Since there little talk every time Emery was around Andrea kept a close on her. Emery wasn't sure if Andrea was worried that she would slap her or go after Shane. Either way it didn't matter to Emery. She was done with both of them.

It had taken a few days but Emery found Daryl without Merle. Alone close to the woods Daryl was hunting when Emery approached him. "Hey." She said softly.

"Hey." Daryl looked at her then away quickly.

"I wanted to thank you for the other night." Emery sat down and rested her head on a tree. The last few days had been ruff and she'd found herself gravitating toward Daryl. Or at least feeling like she wanted to. It seemed every time she started toward him Merle would show his face. The number of people she didn't want anything to do with was growing. She was beginning to feel as though she didn't belong any more.

She sat there watching Daryl gather his catch. The day was ending and another lonely night was quickly approaching. Emery would give her left arm for a warm body to warp up in at night. Almost any warm body. Hot cakes Merle's voice broke her day dream before it even started. Just the sound of his voice was enough to make her wanna puke. Daryl looked back to gauge Emery's reaction to his brother. She quickly got to her feet trying to make a prompt get away. No luck.

Merle grabbed Emery by the arm pulling her close to him. Daryl looked at the two of them uncertain of the relationship of the two of them. When Emery tried to unsuccessfully pull away from him Daryl knew right away that she wasn't interested in him. "Oh no no no not this time sweet heart." Merle took a hold of her other arm pulling her body tightly against his. Emery looked to Daryl with a silent desperation in her eyes.

"Let her go." Daryl finally spoke up. Merle looked at him with a smirk.

"Come on hot cakes tell my little brother here how much you want me. I can see it in your eyes." Merle leaned down trying to bring his lips to hers. Emery did the only thing she could think of at that moment. She took a hold of his nipples and twisted as hard as she could. He let go of her to take hold of his now throbbing nipples. "You bitch." He yelled moving toward her with hate in his eyes.

Daryl rapidly stepped in front of his brother. He'd seen Merle hit many different women in his life. Their father never bothered to teach him that a man should never hit a woman. And it never bothered Merle how much larger or stronger he was than the woman, if he wanted to hit her he did. And right now he wanted nothing more than to hit Emery. Maybe even rap his hands around her pretty little neck and squeeze the life right out of her.

Emery took shelter behind Daryl from Merle's rage. "Yea that's right, next time it will be the crotch." She suddenly felt like a bad ass. It was easy knowing that Daryl was there to keep her safe. Rick had herd all the yelling recognizing Merle's voice he knew that anything involving him had to be trouble. He ran in the direction of the commotion.

Merle leapt toward Daryl and Emery. Tossing Daryl aside like he weighed no more than a old jacket Merle was on top of Emery before she could try to more out of the way. With the back of the only hand he had he slapped her across the face. Emery let out a yelp of pain. As he pulled back and balled his fist up Rick had reached them. Jumping on top of Merle he pulled him from off the top of Emery before he could hit her again.

Everything seemed to have happen with in only a few seconds. Daryl quickly got to Emery and helped her to her feet. He pulled a rag from his back pocket and started wiping the blood from her nose. They both looked over at Rick as he held Merle down. "That's not how we treat our women around here." Rick looked down at him clearly intent on driving his point home. Their last encounter ended with Merle hand cuffed to a roof alone to save his own ass. Rick had no problem driving him to the middle of nowhere and leaving him there to save his own ass again.

"She's no woman." Merle laughed at his own childish insult. Emery looked at him wanted to say something but know that would only cause more trouble for Rick and Daryl.

"I don't care what you think of her, or any one else around here. If you can't keep your hands to your self I will leave you handcuffed to another roof." Rick slowly released him and stood up. The three of them watched closely as Merle got to his feet. "Are we gonna have any other problems?" Rick asked and when Merle didn't respond he took that as a yes.

"You should watch who you tease, not everybody can restrain themselves as well as I can." Merle threatened Emery just before he walked away. Rick let it go. He turned his attention to Daryl and Emery.

"Walk her back to her tent." Rick instructed Daryl who in turn did as he was told. Emery sat down on a little chair just outside her tent. Still holding the rag to her nose. Daryl walked over and knelled down in front of her. He took the rag to look at her nose. It was still bleeding so he folded it and gave it back to her.

"I'm sorry about my brother." Daryl had muttered those words more times in his life than he cared to count.

"It's not your fault, we can't choose our family." Emery looked down into his vivid blue eyes. They both starred at one another. Locked in that moment as if there was nothing else in the world at that time. Lost in each other the sun faded around them. And just like that a scream snapped them back to the hard life they were living.

Looking around it seemed that people were running in every direction. And behind each person was at least a dozen walkers. Every one was running to cars and starting to drive away. Merle took off on his bike not looking back once to see if Daryl was okay. Emery froze at the sight before her. But Daryl didn't. He stood up took her by the hand and pulled her until she was running right beside him. He didn't once let go of her hand. He got to his truck and pushed her into the passengers side and then got in and drove following Rick away from the farm.

The safety of the farm was over. As they all drove in the dark everyone was wondering the same thing. Where would they go from here and would any place ever feel as safe as the farm. Rick took the lead of the pack of cars. When he felt they had reached a safe place he stopped. Taking count of everyone that got away it was to painful to acknowledge who didn't make it. Everyone could see for themselves who didn't make it. He didn't want to add fuel to the fire of emotion that was burning around all of them.

"Well take shifts watching tonight, and in the morning we'll look for somewhere to go." Rick finally spoke after what seemed like an hour of silence. He everything set up so a few people would watch while the others would try to sleep.

The next morning Rick paired people up and sent them off in different directions trying to find a safe place to bunker down. If only for a few night. They all needed some sleep and being stuck in the open in the middle of no where put them all at great risk. Rick and Shane went north. Glen and Hershel went west. Merle and Daryl went south. Since they had come from the east they didn't feel the need to go that direction.

After most of the day had went by everybody returned. Glen and Hershel were the only one's that had any luck. They had found a place that looked a day camp for children. Glen explained that there was a large main building that looked like a small motel. And around it were several small single room buildings. They settled in for the night. Taking turns keeping watch and sleeping. Every one was eager to see this new place that would hopefully be their safe haven.

The next morning the group gathered everything they had around them and headed off following Glen to their new location. The trip took two and a half hours. Every time they would come to a small town or a large group of cars they would stop and gather everything they could. Cloths, tents, weapons and food. Nothing was left behind that they thought they may be able to use.

Pulling up to two large rod iron gates they all stopped and got out of their cars. Standing there they all looked up a long stone driveway that led to a large building. In the out lying area a few hundred yards away from the main building were several small buildings. At the top of the gates in large letters was the name of the place. 'The Eternal Cure'


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N* I KNOW THINGS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW, BUT THINGS WILL PICK UP PRETTY FAST NOW. I HOPE YOU ENJOY...AND PLEASE REVIEW**_

"What the hell is this place?" Glen asked as the group walked inside the gates. Everyone stayed close together with Rick leading the group.

"It looks like some kind of vacation place." Rick spoke up.

"No it's not." Emery replied. Didn't you people ever read a news paper? She looked through the group. By the puzzled look on everyone's face she knew their answer. "This place belonged to an expectorant billionaire. It was like a cult, he believed he could cure anything with some kind of diet he came up with. Anyway when this shit first broke out he said it was the end of the world and the only way to keep from getting it was to stick to his diet."

Every one in the group stopped as they reached the main building. Turning they waited for Emery to finish what she was saying. "Turns out he was right, his end of the world theory. Anyway, he built this place, stocked it for the end of the world. Then brought a bunch of his 'followers' to live here." Emery waited, sure that someone would have questions.

"Why didn't he ever put a fence up?" Maggie asked.

"If they had so much where is everyone?" Andrea asked trying to poke holes in Emery's story.

"Why would he need a fence?" Emery looked back at Andrea. "He believed that his diet he came up with would keep them from turning. So when someone got bit and turned he thought they didn't follow his diet strictly enough. Eventually they all got bit, and they all turned. Including their wonderful leader." Emery finished her story.

The rest of the day was spent clearing the main building and unloading the cars. By the time everyone was inside and the building was locked up it was late. Tired and hungry everyone camped out in the living area. Some people snaked, others went right to sleep. The next few days would be busy. For the first time in days they felt safe.

Daryl laid on the floor with his hands behind his head. The night seemed to linger on. Every few minutes he would lean up a little and look over at Emery. She was laying across the room in a corner. Completely rapped up in a sleeping bag. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried he couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes he felt the need to check on Emery.

The following morning Rick, Daryl and Glenn went building by building and cleared them of all walkers. While in the main building Carol and Lori organized and cleaned the kitchen. Putting for away. Maggie, Beth and Hershel chose one of the rooms off the kitchen and turned it into infirmary. Or as close to it as they could. This place was going to be theirs, for as long as they could keep it safe.

At lunch Rick took the chance to address everyone. "I think everyone should stay in the main building here. We will put a fence up around the area, make it safe." He spoke with suck convention. He really believed this place could be a great place to start over. Not only for the group but for him and Lori too.

"There's plenty of room to plant some crops. Maybe find a few head of cattle." Hershel spoke in support of Rick's idea.

"Were close enough to the woods should be able to hunt when needed." Daryl put his two cents in. Merle looked at his little brother like he was stupid. Emery was surprised. He seemed like such a hard ass most of the time and now he wanted to help. Keep things going. Little did she know that a part of him wanted to make things better just for her. He was growing more fond of her as the days passed.

That night the people sat around the fire place taking turns telling funny stories. Everyone really enjoyed what seemed like a normal moment. There were so few moment any more to just sit and laugh. Enjoy the company of those around you. Just live, laugh and love. The conversation turned from funny stories to naming the baby. It was like they were a small family and Lori was looking forward to having the help of everybody.

Emery looked over at Shane and Andrea as she laid back leaning against his chest. Rolling her eyes she got up and left the room. Rick noticed as he felt it was his responsibility to keep an eye on everyone. He didn't think she would leave the building so he let her go, knowing all to well that everybody needed their space from time to time.

Daryl also took notice of her leaving. When he thought no one else was looking he got up to follow her. He crept through the kitchen looking for her. She wasn't there. When he turned to walk out of it he noticed that the back door had been opened. He looked around to be sure that there were no walkers lurking around. Slowly he walked to the door he pushed it open and saw nothing. He took a few steps out side then saw a silhouette next to a tree in the glow of the moon light.

The only thing within reach he could use as a weapon was a large rock, so he picked it up. Swiftly Daryl moved as to avoid detection by the figure. Raising his hand high above him he stepped from the shadows and into the light. Suddenly he fell to his knees having the wind knocked out of him. Coughing he tried to catch his breath while the figure stood up in front of him. Dammit! a voice said that he immediately recognized.

"What the hell you doing out here girl?" Daryl asked furious when he realized that she had kneed him in the stomach.

"Why do you keep doing that to me. Sneaking up on me. I thought I told you were creepy doing that shit." Emery leaned down to help him up.

"Your the one creeping around, out here in the dark alone." Daryl got to his feet with her help. She had one hand around his waist and the other on his stomach. Standing face to face with nothing more than the cold night air between them Emery couldn't stop the overwhelming feeling of desire. At that very moment she wanted nothing more than to kiss him. Before she knew it his lips were against hers.

Neither one knew who initiated the movement but somehow their bodies were now right against each other and their tongues danced a dance of the gods. Emery was lost in that moment. In his arms she felt safe and didn't care that she wasn't watching for any walkers. When they herd the creaking of the door opening they pulled apart.

"What the hell are you two doing out here?" Rick spoke quietly but firmly. Emery walked to the door and past Rick with her head down looking away from him. Daryl followed behind her pausing when he got to Rick.  
"Ah...nothing." Daryl walked away with out another word. Rick shut the door making sure to lock it tightly.

The next morning the group headed outside. Everyone wanted some fresh air and plans needed to be made. Rick was going to put a fence around the whole place, plant crops, and with a little luck find some live stock.

"Wait, arn't we missing a car?" Glen asked. Every one turned around. Rick walked back to where Glen was standing. He looked at the car quickly taking count.

"Who the hell would take a car?" Rick asked when he realized that Glen was right. "How come no one herd anything?" The group gathered around all looking at each other. They had been use to leaving the keys in the cars. How often did they have people coming by and taking cars. It couldn't be a walker. So that meant that there had to be people near by. "Keep your eyes open. It's hard to know who these people are and what they might want." Rick began. "No one should go any where alone."

Daryl looked at Emery who looked back at him. Any new threat to the group was a new threat to her. And for some reason he took that as a personal attack. At that very moment he'd made up his mind that she would not be let out of his sight.


	8. Chapter 8

**SORRY THE** **UPDATE** **TOOK SO LONG AND** **THANK YOU FOR HANGING IN THERE. MY** **COMPTURE DIED BEFORE I COULD** **UPLOAD THE CHAPTERS I HAD WRITTEN. AND I HAD TO GET A NEW HARD DRIVE. THEN I HAD TO WRITE THIS CHUAP ALL OVER AGAIN. THANKS AGAIN FOR READING AND PLEASE REVIEW.**

The following morning the first priority was to get the fence up. No one would be able to feel truly safe until that was done. All the men had made a run for supplies, now all they had to do was actually put it up. Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog worked on the fence while Shane and Glen kept a look out for walkers. They would work like this from sun up to sun down. Three men would work on the fence while two watched.

As they worked on the fence everyday the things around them that kept disappearing just kept going up in numbers. A tool here and there, food, even a large amount of the chain link fence went missing. It finally came to the point where Rick had them locking everything up in one of the small empty buildings every night.

As the days passed Emery and Daryl didn't talk much but they couldn't keep their eyes off of each other. When Daryl was on watch he found that most of his time was spent watching her. What she was doing who she was talking to. When she was by herself he hated it. He didn't want her to go anywhere by herself. And for good reason. They had no idea who was around them and what they were up too. But they had no problem taking things from them, who was to say they would have a problem with killing someone.

Two weeks into the fence they were half way done. One hot afternoon Daryl was on watch with Shane when he noticed Emery walking along the edge of the woods alone. "Man what the hell is she doing?" Shane asked pissed at the thought that he might have to go hunt her down if she got lost. Every one else stopped what they were doing to look at what Shane was talking about. Daryl had already seen what he was talking about having not been able to keep his eyes off her.

"Emery!" Rick yelled but no luck. She couldn't hear him. And with all of them watching she wondered off into the woods and out of sight. "Shit."

"I'll go after her." Daryl volunteered. Before Rick could respond he was running off in her direction. With each passing day he found himself more drawn to her. She wasn't helpless but he felt an overwhelming need to protect her, from everything, including herself. Reaching the edge of the woods where she disappeared he too walked out of sight from the group.

"That girl is a trouble maker." Shane said to Rick now that Daryl wasn't around.

"What are you talking about?" Rick knew Shane was full of it.

"She's gonna cause nothing but trouble, maybe even more than Merle."

"No body can cause more trouble than Merle. Besides she's no trouble, she just hasn't come to terms with the fact that the world isn't the same as it use to be."

"Well that's her problem not ours. And if we make it our problem she's gonna get one of us killed." Shane looked at Rick who stopped what he was doing to wipe the sweat from his head. Shane had been causing quit a bit of trouble himself these days with his childish fight for power. Rick was no fool he could see the way Daryl watched over Emery like a Hawk. She wouldn't be any trouble for anyone but him.

Daryl jogged through the trees following Emery's trail. She had walked from one tree to another, as if she was hiding behind them. But from what? If it had been a walker she surely would of killed it and he'd come across it by now. Unless she was playing some kind of stupid game. But he couldn't see her doing something like that. As he continued he noticed the temperature start to drop. That meant only one thing, it was gonna be dark soon.

Emery sat on a tree stump looking up at the stars with tears in her eyes. Pulling her knees to her chest she rapped her arms around her legs trying to keep warm. She felt incredibly stupid. Wondering off like that. What was she ten? It would have been hard enough to find her way back in the day light. But now that its dark it would be impossible. She had no choice but to stay put and wait for sun rise to try and make her way back.

With the dismal realization that she was stuck in the dark woods alone all night she started to cry harder. It was scary enough to fight a walker you could see. She couldn't imagine how she would fight one she couldn't see. Her heart began to race when she herd a noise. Getting to her feet she wiped the tears from her face. She put her back to a tree and with a stick in her hand she prepared herself for what ever may come.

Standing perfectly still Emery braced herself as the noise got closer. She could tell from the sound that the noise was being made from a human. The only question was if it was alive. Daryl followed the tracks to a large oak tree. Little did he know that Emery was on the other side of the tree. When he rounded the tree Emery kneed him right in the stomach. With a loud grunt Daryl fell to the ground.

At the main building Rick paced back and fourth at the front door waiting for Daryl to return with Emery. When night hit he didn't know if they would be able to make it back in the darkness. "You think their okay?" Lori asked as she rubbed his shoulders.

"Yea, I don't think Daryl will let anything happen to her." Rick looked at his wife.

"He has become pretty protective over her."

"Yea, he doesn't hide it very well." Rick half laughed along with Lori. Daryl had always been one to hide the way he was feeling from every one. But his feelings for Emery were out on display for everyone to see.

"Oh my god, Daryl I'm so sorry." Emery fell to her knees to check to see if he was okay. "What the hell are you doing out here?"

"Me, your the one that wondered out here alone. What the hell were you doing?" He started to get to his feet with a little help from Emery.

"I saw someone and followed them." She brushed the dirt off his back side.

"Rick told you not to go anywhere by yourself." Daryl looked at her sternly. As he talked he got closer to her. He knees began to tremble from fear. Not of a walker but that he would stop before they really got started this time. "We should get back."

Emery wanted to scream. He stopped, and she wasn't ready for this to be over, not this quick, not this time. "No body knows you found me. Whats another hour or so gonna hurt?" She moved until her body was pressed against his. Daryl wasted no time in kissing her. He'd been waiting for a sign any tiny signal that she wanted him as bad as he wanted her.

Emery wasted no time in unbuttoning his shirt. Daryl pulled her shirt over her head as they slowly got to their knees. She undid her pants and slide them down her hips as he did the same with his. With his hand under her head he gently laid her on her back. He kissed her neck while her hands moved up and down his back. Positioning himself between her legs he paused just long enough to look down at her. When she smiled up at him he knew that was no turning back.

Slowly he entered her and Emery let out a little moan. "You okay?" He asked stopped still inside her.

"Yes, this feels to so good." She rapped her legs around his waist as he began to move faster. It had been so long for both of them that it took no time to reach a climax. "OH CHRIST!" Emery cried out as he pushed hard one last time into her.

"Shit." Daryl huffed trying to catch his breath. Both of them laid on their backs looking up into the night sky. Watching their breath in the cold night air.

"Okay now we should get back." Emery got up and quickly began to put her cloths on. Daryl followed suit. Standing there she began to shiver. "I'm freezing?" She breathed into hands trying to turn them from purple to a normal color.

Daryl took a hold of her hands and rubbed them between his. Emery looked at him while he did this. She couldn't help but wonder how Daryl and Merle could come from the same blood line. Daryl was sweet and kind to anyone that would see him for who he was not what his stereotype was. Merle on the other hand was a hateful monster out for only himself. If you had nothing to offer him he had no use for keeping you around.

"Which way?" Emery asked and watched him look around.

"This way." Daryl took her by the hand and began to lead them out of the woods.

It was very late and every one had went to sleep, every one expect Rick. He kept watch for Daryl's return. When he finally saw them emerge from the woods he breathed a sigh of relief. He opened the door letting them in and then quickly locked it again behind them. "What the hell did you do?" Rick immediately jumped Emery. Swallowing hard she felt like a child that had just disappointed their father. "You could of gotten killed, and you could of gotten Daryl killed as well. What were you thinking?" Rick waited for a response. "I set the rules and if you can't follow them then you can find your own way." Emery turned away from him and quickly ran to the room she'd chosen for herself before either of the men could see her cry.

Rick watched then ran his hand over his face. He knew he'd been hard on her, and he wasn't sure why. "Thanks." He looked at Daryl who stood there during all this.

"Any time." Daryl answered then walked away. Rick paused for a moment, he felt bad for what he'd said to her. He would apologize in the morning there was nothing he could do now. He checked the locks on the door and retreated to his room with Lori and Carl.

Emery wiped the tears from her cheek and starred into the darkness of her room. She'd never felt more alone than she did in that very moment. When she herd her door open she looked over her shoulder. The dark figure came in her room and shut the door behind themselves. She watched as they took their boots, jeans and shirt off. When he got close enough she could see it was Daryl that was lifting the blanket and scooting in next to her. His warm body next to hers, that was differently gonna make the night a little easier to bear.


	9. Chapter 9

_**THIS CHAPTER IS A LITTLE SHORT, BUT I WANTED TO UPDATE, AS ALWAYS PLEASE REVIEW.**_

The following morning Emery was feeling a little foolish about how she handled things the day before. First following someone into the woods, then things with Rick. If she was gonna be able to look him in the eye again she had set thing right. She lingered in her room until she was sure everyone was busy doing something. Making her way outside she waiting until she catch Rick alone.

Rick was gathering tools from their self made shed as Emery approached him. Rick himself was feeling bad about how he'd spoke to her the night before. "Rick I just wanted to apologize..." Emery started.

"No, I wanna apologize for how I spoke to you last night." Rick interrupted her.

"No you were right I was stupid wondering off alone like that."

"Dam right your were stupid." Shane's voice came from behind them. Emery rolled her eyes as she turned around to look at him. "Your ass is gonna get someone killed."

"Shane that's enough." Rick had the situation under control and growing rather tired of Shane's ongoing attempts to undermine his authority. Emery decided to bit her tongue. As she moved to walk past him Shane moved to block her in.

"No she needs to hear this." Shane puffed out his chest like some crazy man on steroids. "Your walking around here causing fights, wondering off into the woods along making people hunt you down. Your making people uncomfortable."

"Really who would that be?" Emery asked knowing good and well who he was talking about. He was talking about Andrea. Every since she'd caught them in the woods Andrea had been pulling Shane's strings. She would say jump and he would ask how high.

"Your out of control." Shane got that crazy look in his eyes. "Now I think some one needs to set you straight."

"Shane come on that's enough." Rick knew where this was going. Shane was a hot head, who seemed to be losing his mind a little bit more everyday. And Emery wouldn't back down from anyone, no matter how much she was out matched.

Daryl walked out of the main building. When he didn't find Emery in her room he went looking for her. It didn't take him long to notice the commotion to his left. He walked quickly toward them fearing Shane would hit her. Cause then he would have beat him with in an inch of his life.

"No she needs to hear this." Shane just kept going. He was going to get his point across no matter who he pissed off.

"Set me straight. And who's gonna set your straight? This macho man power trip your on is becoming a real pain in the ass." Emery was furious. Who the hell was he to talk to her like that. By this time Daryl was there by her side. He wasn't real thrilled with where the conversation had gone, but he wasn't ready to step in.

"He's not on a power trip, he's trying to keep the group safe." Andrea's voice emerged from nowhere. Daryl looked at her then back at Emery.

"That's right." Shane agreed with Andrea.

"The only reason you agree with anything she says is cause she's sleeping with you." Emery pointed to Andrea. She couldn't stand the sight of her anymore.

"Listen bitch I've had enough of your shit." Shane moved toward Emery. It was clear the fight was on. Rick moved to stop the problem, but before he could do anything Daryl was in Shane's face.

"That's enough." Daryl spoke quietly enough that only Shane could hear him.

"What are you gonna do redneck?"

"If you talk to her like that again, I'll put an arrow through your heart." Daryl answered then turned. He took Emery by the arm and walked away with her in tow.

They walked until they were on the other side of the property, behind one of the small buildings. Out of sight from every one else he stopped. "You have to stop feeding these fights." He turned to Emery.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Shane's an asshole, and Andrea is a mindless fool. Just ignore what they say."

"I'm not some child, you don't have to reprimand me every time I do something wrong." Emery leaned with her back against the building and her arms folded.

"I just want you to be safe. That's all." Daryl answered. Emery looked at him then down at the dirt at her feet. She looked around then looked back at him. She grabbed his hand and quickly led him off into the trees.

Once far enough into the woods that she could be sure they wouldn't been caught or seen she took his bow from him and set it down off to the side. "What the hell are we doing out here?"

"What do you think?" Emery answered and pulled her shirt over her head. Daryl placed his hands on her hips and pulled her to him.

Rick was working on the fence with Shane when Glen approached them. "Hey Rick, were missing stuff out of the cars." Glen looked as Shane and Rick stopped working and stood up right. After a few minutes they all started walking towards the cars.

"Rick we have to find these people." Shane spoke holding his gun pointed at the ground.

"We can't just go looking for these people. We don't know who they are or what they want."

"It doesn't matter what they want cause their just gonna keep taking it from us." Shane stopped. They had reached the cars. They have four cars parked in this spot. Everyone of them had been ransacked. Anything that could be taken was taken.

"You wanna just go wondering through the woods looking for these people?" Glen asked Shane as Rick looked at the cars.

"Or we wait for them to show up on our door step." Shane looked Rick right in the eye. As much as Rick hated to admit it but this time Shane was right. These people, who ever they were, just kept getting braver and braver. It would only be a matter of time before they showed up wanted a fight.

"We can all meet after dinner tonight, come up with a plan. This is gonna stop!" Rick walked off in a hurry. He wanted to make sure Carl and Lori were safe. He also wanted to make sure they stayed inside until he could figure out what the hell was going on.


	10. Chapter 10

Chap 10...

That night at diner the entire group gathered to come to a decision on what to do about the strangers lurking in the darkness. After two hours if was finally decided that they would start going in teams of two on scouting trips every morning. The hope was that they could find these people. Find out what they were doing, and put a stop to their games. That was the hope any way.

That night the teams were made and they were to head out at first light. Shane and Rick, Glen and T-Dog, and Daryl and Emery. Emery had recently shown that she was good with a weapon, weather it be a gun, a bow or an ax. Even though every time she wondered around she never carried one with her.

Laying down Emery waited for Daryl to join her. It didn't take long for him to enter the room and crawl under the blanket with her. He wasn't happy about her joining in the search in the morning. He'd asked Rick to have some one else go. He'd even take Merle with him. But he asked Emery and she'd said yes. Rick told Daryl if he wanted her to stay behind, he had to tell her.

"Hey, Merle is gonna go with me in the morning." Daryl whispered to her. It took a minute for what he'd just said to register with her. When she rolled over to him she looked at him like he was crazy.

"What do you mean, Rick said I was so post to go with you." Emery half laughed thinking he was joking. Just trying to make her mad for some of that make up sex every one talks so much about.

"I think you'd be safer here."

"I won't be any safer than I am right next to you." She sat up.

"I just want you to stay here." Daryl raised his voice to her for the first time. Emery didn't know what to say. In a way his assertiveness was a turn on. But at the same time she was so pissed she wanted to slap him.

"Fine take Merle." Emery stood up and walked out the door. Daryl flopped his head back. He sighed deeply and just laid there. He figured she would come back, but she never did.

The next morning all the guys got ready and left out just as the sun started to rise. Daryl was the last one in the group to walk out the door. As he placed his foot on the bottom step he looked to his left. Emery was sitting on the porch wrapped in a blanket. They locked eyes for a moment. Emery didn't even give him a chance to say anything. She got up and left.

The three different teams walked in three different directions. They marked their paths with colored rags. They wanted to weed these people out. The game plan was to work for a few hours then return to work on the fence the rest of the day. The sooner they could finish the fence the sooner they would protect themselves from these others.

In the woods the temperature kept climbing as Merle and Daryl looked for any signs of other people. "Your woman mad at you?" Merle asked as they got deeper into the woods. Daryl didn't answer him. "I told you long time ago baby brother that woman are good for only one thing. Sleep with them and get rid of them. Keep them any longer than that and they cause nothing but trouble." Merle spoke as if his words held some kind of wisdom. Daryl knew better. He knew when his brother talked about women everything he said was bullshit. "Now one like yours, she'll cause you a lot of trouble if you don't break her in fast. Show her who's boss. Like a dog, rub her nose in shit if you have to, to get the point across."

Daryl stopped to turn to his brother. Merle smiled. He was getting under Daryl's skin and he loved it. "She's got a lot of spirit. You need to put a stop to that shit." Merle never did know when to quit.

"Shut up Merle." Daryl had enough trouble he didn't need Merle adding his two cents. They'd reached their midday point and started back.

"Then again if you know how to stick it in her right she'll melt in your hands. Now if you need some help in that department you just let me know. I'll stick it to her. If she like's the little Dixon she'll love the big Dixon."

"You bess shut the hell up." Daryl turned and warned his brother.

"Hey now I'm just trying to help you."

"Well I don't need your help." Daryl walked ahead of his brother. He couldn't get out of the woods fast enough.

When they got back to the main building Daryl went directly to the room he was sharing with Emery. She wasn't there. That was no big surprise to him. When he looked around and couldn't find her he went to Rick to ask if he knew where she was. Rick pointed to one of the apple trees that was about a hundred feet behind the building. Emery had climbed to the largest limb and was reading. Daryl wasn't sure what to say to her so he just went to work on the fence.

Emery noticed that Daryl was back. She just wasn't ready to talk to him yet. She'd always been stubborn. So she just stayed in her tree reading. Lost in her book she payed very little attention to the world around her. 'Thud' she herd the sound of something hitting the ground. She looked and didn't see any one so she just assumed that it was an apple falling.

'THUD' she herd it again and it was louder this time. Emery got up so she could move. Finally able to see behind her she found the source of the sound. Below her were three men gathering apples. Frantic she looked around. There was no one. Everyone was in side or working on the fence. She ran through her options in her head. One she could run to the building in hopes of reaching it before these guys were able to catch her. Two she could run toward Daryl and Rick in hopes that again she could out run these guys.

She made her choice she was gonna run toward Rick and Daryl. Now she just had to figure out a way to get out of the tree and onto her feet quickly. If she climbed to a lower branch they would surly hear her. But if she jumped from where she was she may twist an ankle. "Shit" Emery said to herself. She had to jump and hope to hell that she would make it.

"One...two...three" Emery jumped. The force of the fall caused her to land and roll. The two men were startled. As quickly as she'd fallen Emery was back on her feet and running. "DARYL! RICK!" She screamed. Rick and Daryl both looked up from what they were doing. Emery was running towards them waving her hands like she was a lunatic. They both took off running.

Meeting her half was Emery gabbed a hold of Daryl. "There were two men picking apples." Emery gasped for air as she explained what she had seen.

"Where did they go?" Rick asked her looking towards the trees.

"I don't know, I ran and didn't look back."

Rick, Daryl and Shane followed some tracks into the woods until it became to dark to continue. That night Rick had a new plan to find these people. They knew what direction these people were coming from. That gave them their first clue to work with. "We'll go out again at first light. Three teams of two. Shane and Andrea, Daryl and Emery, and I'll take Glen with me. Merle and T-Dog I need you to stay here and keep an eye on things." Rick had a renewed hope that the following morning would be the morning they put an end to all the strange shit. "While were gone tomorrow everybody should stay inside. These people are getting braver everyday. It's hard to tell what they'll do next."

After the meeting Emery quickly went to bed. Daryl watched her leave the room. He just wasn't sure weather to follow her or not. They still hadn't really spoken. He knew if he didn't man up and go to her he would never know. He got up and went to the room. Shutting the door quietly behind him he whispered to her "Emery?"


	11. Chapter 11

Chap 11...

Daryl walked into the room and whispered. "Emery?" She turned to him without saying a word. He walked over and laid down next to her. He didn't say anything, he didn't know what to say. He just looked into her eyes. After a few minutes he reached up to touch her face. Emery moves closer to him placing her lips against his.

Daryl put his hand in her hair pulling her tightly to him. Allowing him to kiss her even hard. Suddenly and quickly he rolled her onto her back and got on top of her. Pressing his body against hers. Emery arched her body. Running her hands down his sides to the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up over his head. He stopped kissing her neck long enough to lean back to unbutton her pants, and pull them along with her panties, from her legs.

After removing his pants Daryl positioned himself between her legs. She lifted her legs rapping them around his waist. She pulled him into her. He moaned from the pleasure as Emery grabbed his shoulders. She pulled on him and arched her body to meet his every thrust. Reaching down he moved her right leg so that it was over his shoulder. Daryl moved faster as she cried out. "Oh God."

When he let her leg back down she rolled him so that he was now on his back. Looking up at her he placed his hands on her hips. Emery leaned back and put her hands on his legs. Daryl moved under her as she rode him as hard as she could. Watching her body move on top of his caused him to cum quickly. With one last movement it was over.

Emery laid down next to him with her back to him. Daryl scooted until his body was against his and put his arm over hers. She took his hand in hers as she closed her eyes. It wasn't long before she was asleep. Daryl laid there and watched her sleep. He wondered how someone so small and different from himself could want to be with someone like him. How could this girl that was beautiful, articulate, good with other people, why was he the one she was sleeping next to at night. Daryl closed his eyes and within seconds he was out.

The following morning Emery yawned as Rick explained their roles for the day. After he was sure everyone knew what they were to do Rick sent them on their way. Daryl and Emery walked through the trees for a while before they talked. "You still mad at me?" He asked walking a few steps behind her.

"No, I wasn't mad at you last night." Emery stopped to take a drink. The sun was blocked by the trees but it was still hotter than hell. "What exactly are we gonna do if we find these people?"

"I don't think Ricks just gonna have a friendly chat with them."

"So were gonna track down these people and kill them?" Emery finished drinking and began walking again.

"You have a problem with that?" Daryl asked.

"I guess not. Our fearless leader thinks that's what's best, and he hasn't led as wrong yet." They had walked into thick shrubs. "Shit!" Emery stopped and looked down at her arm that was now bleeding. She looked around and found her way out of the shrubs. Daryl was quickly to her side once he saw the blood.

"What happen?" Daryl took her arm wiping it with a rag.

"Must of been a thorn bush." Emery looked down. She kept bleeding. But it wasn't bad enough to worry. Daryl tied the rag around her arm to keep the blood from going everywhere. Standing there with him she wanted to take a much needed break. She smiled at him with her best come get it look.

"We can't." Daryl knew right away what was on her mind. Any other time he would of gladly bent her over and took her to town. Emery huff and started walking again. After a few minutes the sound of a gun shoot ran out.

"What was that?" Emery looked in the direction of the sound.

"Gun shot."

"Think they found them?"

"No, we agreed to find them and meet back to come up with plan. Has to be walkers." Daryl took off running toward the sound. Emery followed.

When Daryl got to the sound he found Rick and Glen nearly over run by walkers. He jumped into help. Rick stabbed a walker thought the back of the head. As it fell to the ground he turned and shoot another one that was close enough to touch him. Glen took and ax to one cutting it's head off. Daryl shot one right through the eye. Running toward Rick he pulled arrow from the walker eye and reloaded his bow.

By the time it was all over the three men must of killed fifteen walkers. Out of breath and covered in blood they turned looking at each other. Taking a count of everyone making sure the only ones on the ground were the dead. "We need to move, if there's anymore around I'm sure the sound will bring them." Rick said. They gathered their weapons and counted their ammo when Rick realized something wasn't right. "Daryl wheres Emery?"

Daryl looked around finally taking notice of the fact that Emery was no where around. "She was right behind me."

"Did a walker get her?" Glen asked.

"NO! No dammed way a walker got her." Daryl's face turned red as he got right in Glens face.

"Hey, hey." Rick stepped in between the two. "Maybe she just got separated from you. Lets go look for her."

Daryl led the way back from which he came. They looked at the field of walkers at their feet to be sure she wasn't among them. When they didn't find her they took off for the woods. He retraced his steps. Every inch he had covered clear back to the building they were staying in. He ran inside hoping that when they got separated she just returned home. He ran to their room but she wasn't there.

Back out front Rick was explaining what had happen. Including that Emery was missing. Shane and Andrea had returned when they herd gun fire. But not Emery. Daryl ran back out of the building grabbing T-Dog. "Where is she?" He sounded like a lunatic.

"Man she's not here. I haven't seen her since she left with you." T-Dog answered him. Daryl turned and looked at the group as they all starred at him. He started back towards the woods. Rick stopped him. The last thing he needed to do was go wondering through the woods pissed off and upset.

"Daryl just calm down, we'll find her." Rick reassured him. Daryl hoped he could believe him. Emery had finally given him something to look forward to. Something to wake up happy for. And if he couldn't find her, he'd never forgive himself.


	12. Chapter 12

Chap 12...

As Daryl paced back and fourth his panic worsened as the sun began to set. Emery was lost. They had no idea where she went. "We have to go get her." Daryl was instant that they went looking right that very minute.

"Daryl it's getting dark. If the rest of us get lost out there then were no help to her." Rick tired to make him see that. But all Daryl could see was Emery alone in the dark. Cold, hungry and crying for fear. Sitting somewhere waiting for him come save her.

"Besides if she's turned she just wondering around in circles." Shane's voice came from the back of the group. He was the last one Daryl wanted to hear from. He moved toward Shane ready to beat the shit out of him. "What are you gonna do redneck?"

"She hasn't turned. She can take care of herself."

"You mean like the time she wondered off into the woods alone and got lost?"

Daryl wanted to snap him like a twig but he had more important things to focus on. Rick told him they would go first thing in the morning. It would almost kill him to wait. But he knew it would best. That night he waited on the front porch. If she came out of the woods he wanted be the first one she saw. As the night drew on the reality consumed him like a cold wet blanket. She wasn't coming back that night.

The next morning Rick gathered the people that would be going. They met in front of the main building. Rick and Shane would head south, Glen and T-Dog would head east, and Merle and Daryl would head north. Just before they were ready to walk off T-Dog approached Rick where no one else would be able to hear them. "I don't want to start any shit." T-Dog started then stopped.

"What is it?" Rick could see that he had something to say.

"Yesterday, Merle disappeared for a while." T-Dog looked around. Rick looked back at Merle then back at T-Dog.

"You mean when Emery went missing?"

"Yea."

"Okay. Don't say anything to anyone else. Give me some time to think." Rick told him before the two men returned to the group.

In the woods Rick replayed the words over and over in his head. 'Merle disappeared' what could he have been doing? He'd made his feelings about Emery perfectly clear. And if he felt that she was becoming between him and Daryl. Well who knows what he'd do to fix that problem. At that point Rick wasn't sure if he'd be looking for a walker or just a pile of body parts.

"You think Merle would really hurt any one in the group?" Rick asked Shane as they walked just a few feet apart. Shane looked at him like he'd just asked the stupidest question ever asked.

"I wouldn't put anything past that hick." Shane answered him.

"T-Dog said that Merle took off for a while yesterday."

"What?" Shane stopped and looked at Rick. "If you knew that then why in the hell do you have us out here hunting for her. Why aren't we back there beating the truth out of him?"

"Because we don't know he did anything."

"Are you serious? He's knocked the shit out of her, made it very clear that he didn't like her. And he just happens to be no where to be found when she goes missing. And you still seem to think that he didn't do anything?" Shane half laughed. Putting his gun on his shoulder he started back they way they came.

"Where are you going?" Rick asked.

"I'm going back. When Merle gets back we'll know what happen to her." Shane continued to walk off. Rick just let him go.

It was late in the evening when Daryl walked out of the woods with his head held low and a somber look on his face. He didn't speak to anyone he just went to the room he shared with her. Sitting in the middle of the floor he picked up her shirt. It still smelled like her. It was the shirt she was wearing that last morning they made love. Standing up with the shirt in one hand he walked to the wall. In the blink of an eye he reached out and punch a hole in the wall.

Outside on the porch Shane sat waiting. When Merle walked onto the porch Shane stood up and walked toward him. "Find her?" he asked just as sarcastic as he could.

"She ain't with us is she?" Merle looked him with a smirk on his face.

"Of all of us I thought for sure you'd find her."

"And why's that?"

"You tell me." Shane grew agitated.

"What you getting at?" Rick herd the two of them and came out on the front porch. He knew what Shane was doing and how this confrontation would end. He didn't know however, how Daryl would react to the news of his brother maybe being responsible for all of this.

"Where did you go yesterday while we were out in the woods?"

"Well now I don't think I have to answer that." Merle smiled knowing that he was getting to Shane.

"Mere we know you weren't yesterday for a large part of the day." Rick stepped in trying to get something out of him.

"I see, you think I'm the reason that girl is missing. Little bitch probably got lost and is a walker by now. Better her than me. "

"Where were you Merle?" Rick raised his voice.

"What's the problem officer, you gonna arrest me if I don't tell you." Merle looked past Rick to the door of the building. Daryl was standing there. He'd heard most of what was said.

"What did you do to her Merle?" Daryl got right in his brothers face. He grew up with Merle he knew exactly what he was capable of.

"Baby brother come on."

"No, tell me now asshole!" Daryl yelled. Merle paused then suddenly he punch Daryl right in the face knocking him to the ground.

"Remember who your talking to." Merle stood over Daryl as he looked up at him. "Not that it's any of your business. But I had something to smoke and I wanted a little peace."

"That makes sense, the druggie is off smoking god knows what while the rest of us are working." Shane laughed.

Daryl got to his feet as Merle went into the building and out of sight. Rick stayed by his side. He had no idea how to comfort him or what to say. The sun was starting to fad. Daryl was doomed to spend another night alone. He had to spend the night wondering where she was, if she was okay and why wasn't she coming back on her own.

Rick was about to go inside, leaving Daryl alone on the porch. Where he would surly spend the night waiting for Emery. When they herd voices and four people emerge from the woods. Rick ran from the porch to see who these people were. When he got close enough he could see that T-Dog and Glen were bringing the other two people by gun point.


	13. Chapter 13

Chap 13...

T-Dog and Glen held their guns to the two men in front of them. They had the men blind folded and their hands tied. Rick reached them shocked by what he saw. "What the hell happen?" Rick asked.

"We found these two deep in the woods." T-Dog started. "We over herd them talking about a hunting lodge and the group their with."

Rick looked back at the main building then back at the two men. "Take them to the cottage beside the shed." They started calling the small one room buildings cottages. They were using them for storage and other things. "Lock them in there. Make sure they can't get out." Rick went back to the building where Daryl was waiting.

"Who are they, do then know where Emery is?" Daryl began yelling.

"I don't know. It's getting dark we need to get inside."

"I need to talk to them." Daryl tried to get past Rick to get to the two men. Rick wouldn't let him. It took him and T-Dog to keep Daryl from getting past. It was deiced that the two men would stay locked up over night. A schedule would be made and people would take a turn watching them. In the morning Rick would question them. See what they knew, if they knew anything about Emery, and if they belonged with the people stealing all their stuff.

That didn't work for Daryl. He wanted to question them right then and there. Hell even beat information out of them if he had. He didn't give a shit. He wanted to find Emery no matter who he had to kill. She was still alive, he knew it. And there was no way in hell any one was going to get in his way to get to her. He would burn the world to the ground if he had to to find her.

The night drug on for what seemed like forever. When the morning did come Rick was quick to talk to the men. Daryl stood behind Rick with hate in his eyes. They left the men blind folded and bound at the hands. "Where are your people?" Rick started. Neither man spoke. Daryl lunged around Rick kicking the one man causing him to fall into the other one. Rick pulled him back. "If we beat them half to death they won't be able to talk."

"They bess start talking now!" Daryl was sure to speak loud enough that they herd him.

"Do what ever you want." One of the men finally spoke.

"What the hell did you say?" Daryl moved past Rick toward the men.

"What ever you do to us can't be any worse then what will happen if we go back after we talk." The man spoke again. Daryl knelled to one knee and punched him in the face. Rick push him out the door locking it behind him.

"We can just beat them." Rick knew he had to come up with a plan. Something constructive to make them talk. Beating them to a bloody pulp wasn't going to do them any good. Killing them wasn't an option. Daryl huffed and walked away. If Rick wasn't going to let him talk to the men his way he was going to go back into the woods to find Emery on his own.

Rick walked back to the front porch as Daryl walked into the woods. Shane was on the porch, and the two men were alone. "We need to find out where their people are and if they have Emery." Rick looked out to the fence that he'd been trying so hard to finish.

"If they have her let them keep her." Shane made if very clear that he didn't like her and was more than willing to just let her go with out a fight. Rick looked back at him.

"You wouldn't say that if it was Andrea that was missing." Rick locked eyes with Shane. The two stood there as if in a face off. Shane was hoping for a shift in power and felt this was the perfect time to make his move.

"I think we should see what every one else thinks. Before we start sending our people out to risk their lives for some one who's caused trouble for so many." Shane took the rest of the afternoon to gather every one up to discuss the issues.

Standing the main living area of the building everyone was gathered waiting for what ever it was that Shane had to say. He stood in the front of the room while Rick stood in the back. He wanted to gauge the way everyone responded to Shane. "I say we kill these two, finish the fence and just except the fact that Emery is dead."

"I agree." Andrea chimed in agreeing with Shane. Over the past few months she no longer had a mind of her own. What ever Shane said was the truth. He said jump, she said how high.

"We can't just give up on her. What if these people have her?" Maggie spoke up. Her and Emery were very close. Besides she had a kind heart and didn't want to give up on anyone, not while there was still hope for a good out come.

"We haven't even got these guys to talk to us." Glen stood next to Maggie.

"Yea and in the mean time we have to have people waste their time watching these people when they could be working on the fence." Shane spoke above everyone else.

Rick stepped to the front of the room. "Hershel what do you think?" Since Dale's death Hershel had become the groups vice of reason.

"We shouldn't give up the search for Emery. But we do need to finish the fence. It may be only a matter of time before another herd crosses our pass." Hershel stood there. Rick knew he was right. He wanted to find Emery. But he needed to think of the safety of the group as well. The group burst into loud talking. People arguing over what should be done when. Rick knew not only was finding Emery and finishing the fence at the top of the list, but running for supplies was also moving to the top of the list. The nights were getting colder, which meant that fall was quickly approaching.

Rick waved his hands to get everyone's attention. "Listen, two people will go with Daryl to look for Emery, everyone else will work on the fence. When the fence is done we will start going to town for supplies. There's a lot of stuff we need before it starts getting real cold. In the mean time we will keep these two locked up and find out what we can." Rick looked Shane in the eye waiting for him to say something.

"That's bullshit, if Daryl wants to go looking for her let him. The rest of us should finish the fence. Kill these two assholes, why should we even fool with them. Man you gotta quit thinking with your heart and start thinking with your brain. You know looking for that girl is a waste of time." Shane tried to stir the pot.

"That's how it is Shane, I'm not discussing it any further." Rick walked out to the front porch. Stopping for a moment he saw Daryl walking out of the woods, alone. Daryl stopped in front of the porch just long enough to look Rick in the eye. Before he could say anything Daryl walked past him to the cottage holding the two strangers.

This would be the third night Emery was missing. Daryl was about to lose his mind. If these two men knew where she was he was going to make them talk if was the last thing he did. Rick jumped off the porch running to catch up with Daryl. Inside the small wooden building Daryl looked down at the men. "Where's the girl?"


	14. Chapter 14

Chap 14... (3 nights)

The night air was cold and damp. When Daryl emerged from the cottage he could see his breath. His knuckles were bloody and the two men were missing a few teeth. Rick had to stop him. If he'd kept going the men wouldn't of been able to say anything even if they knew it. Daryl returned to his room. He hadn't slept in the last three nights. Laying under the covers with her shirt gripped tightly in his hands he fell asleep with her sweet smell.

The following morning Rick and Daryl returned to the cottage with the two men. Standing there looking down at the men they knew drastic measures were needed. Rick leaned down close to them. "Where are your people?" He asked. The two men didn't say anything. They'd taken the beating Daryl had given them the night before and didn't say a word. They didn't speak, which came as no surprise to Rick.

Daryl handed Rick a pair of tin snips. "Your gonna talk or your gonna start losing body parts. Now where are your people?" Rick asked again, and again no answer. He took a hold of the one man's hand and in one quick motion he cut his pinky off. The man screamed in pain. Finally the other man spoke.

"Do what every you want, if you don't kill us our own people will." The man said.

"Oh were not gonna kill you. Were gonna cut you apart, sew you back together and start all over again." Rick spoke in just over a whisper. He leaned in taking a hold of another finger and the man began to scream before he started to cut him.

"A lodge, a lodge." The man missing a finger screamed. "It's an old hunting lodge that was boarded up long before the outbreak."

"What about the girl?" Daryl finally asked. They didn't answer him the night before, but he had a felling they would now.

"What girl?" The man that hadn't lost a finger asked. Daryl got pissed. Taking the snips from Rick he cut a finger off to make a point. The man screamed. "What girl, what girl?" Daryl cut another of his fingers off.

"The girl that your group took four days ago. Brown hair blue eyes." Daryl took a hold of another finger.

"Mark has her." The man yelled before he lost another finger.

"Who's Mark?" Rick asked.

"He's the leader of the group?"

"What are you doing?" The other man asked.

"If these guys let us go we don't have to go back to Mark, if we don't tell them what they want to know they will kill us." The man was missing two fingers now and more than willing to talk. "Mark is the leader of the group at the school. His goons found her in the woods the other day and brought her back to the school."

"Why?" Daryl wanted to know what they took her for.

"They, um, ah..." The man just stuttered. He didn't want to answer for fear of what would happen. Daryl leaned down and took another finger off. "Mark uses the girls then puts them out for walker bait."

"What do you mean he uses them?" Rick asked.

"You know what I mean."

"Where is this lodge?" Daryl waited, but neither of them answered. He was done playing games. He untied the man that wasn't talking and took him outside. With a single shot to the head he killed him. Back inside he kicked the man in the hand that was now missing three fingers. "Where is this lodge?"

"It's about a hundred yards west of where your people found us." The man answered him hoping his life would be spared. Daryl pulled the blind fold from the mans eyes. Looking the man in the eyes he held his gun up and shot him right between the eyes. He turned and walked back outside. Rick followed after him.

"You can't go by yourself." Rick told Daryl seeing the hatred in his eyes. "We need to get the rest of the guys, you have no idea how many people are gonna be there."

Daryl didn't say anything as Rick walked away. He'd waited for three long nights he wasn't waiting another second. Especially after what the man said they'd done to her. He took off running towards the woods. Glen had told him where they found the men so he knew where he was going.

Rick came back outside with Shane, T-Dog and Glen to find Daryl gone. The men hurried off to catch up with him. Even Shane, he didn't want to bother with her, but he didn't want anything to happen to Rick either. Deep down inside him he still held some loyalty to Rick. They tore through the woods toward the school.

When they finally reached the lodge they divided into two groups to make a circle around the lodge looking for both Daryl and Emery. As they walked Rick and Shane came upon something they weren't expecting to see. Emery was chained to a tree. She was laying with her back against the tree and her head hanging down. Her hair was in her face, they couldn't see her face. Her skin was gray and dirty. The chain around her ankle had dug deep into her skin, it was hard to tell if the wound was from the chain alone or if she'd been bitten. Dried blood covered her ankle and foot. Next to her were two walkers with sticks through their head.

Rick and Shane both aimed their guns at her. They didn't know if she was alive or a walker. Rick shook her foot but she didn't respond. He leaned closer, slowly he reached to move the hair from her face. Just as his hand got close enough to touch her, Emery lunged. In a split second Shane fired his gun. Rick jumped back falling onto his back. Both men looked at her. Shane had only shot her in the thigh. Emery grabbed her leg as the blood began to pour from it. She was clearly not a walker.

With the commotion made T-Dog and Glen came running. No sooner did they find Rick and Shane then the bullets began to come from the lodge. The four men took cover and fired back. After what seemed like forever Daryl found them. Going right to Emery he noticed she was unconscious. He pulled on the chain. There was no way to get it lose from the tree, or to get her foot out of it. "We need to get out of here." Rick yelled at the group. Daryl stood up and took the gun from Rick, he shot the chain breaking her free from the tree.

Daryl scooped Emery up in his arms. The others fired behind them as they ran from the lodge. Daryl held Emery close to him. She was with him again, no one was going to hurt her. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him. The sooner he could get her back to Hershel the sooner she could be helped. He wouldn't let anything happen to her ever again.


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N* I WILL BE UPDATING AS OFTEN AS I CAN. THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS AND FOLLOWS. LOVE THE FEEDBACK. SORRY ABOUT ANY AND ALL ERRORS. I TRY TO PROOF READ BUT SOMETIMES I GET IN TO BIG OF A HURRY, OR DISTRACTED BY MY TWO SMALL KIDS. OR YOU KNOW PICS OF NORMAN. HOPE YOU ENJOY. **_

_***THIS CHAPTER AND THE NEXT FEW WILL HAVE TALK ABOUT RAPE, SO PLEASE BE WARNED I DON'T WANT TO UPSET ANYONE***_

Daryl placed Emery on the bed in their room. She was still unconscious. Stepping aside Hershel began to look her over. "Get me some scissors and the first aid kit." Hershel told Beth. Daryl just stood aside as she ran from the room. Rick stood outside of the room keeping everyone else out. Beth returned with the items and handed them to Hershel.

He asked for the room to be cleared. Hershel, Maggie and Daryl were the only one's to be in the room. In order to be sure that he took care of all her injuries he would have to strip her down to nothing more than her bra and panties. As Hershel began to cut her pants from her body she suddenly came back to life.

Emery looked up at Hershel her eyes wide and sweet dripping from her face. Everyone paused for a moment unsure of what she was thinking or what she was going to do. Just as Hershel moved his hand toward her Emery jumped to her feet. Daryl ran to the bed. "Wait, wait slow down. She may be in shock. You don't want to scare her." Hershel knew he needed to take his time. Anything that frightening her would only make things worse. They didn't know what she'd been through. And with out knowing for sure what kind of injuries she had they couldn't just go grabbing and pulling on her.

Like a burst of lighting Emery jumped off the bed and grabbed the small night stand next to her throwing it at Daryl and Hershel. She grabbed a baseball bat off the floor busted out the window. Hearing all the noise Rick burst through the door. "Emery!" Daryl yelled as he jumped over the bed trying to stop her from going out the window. Her grabbed her around the waist as she was half way out the window. Emery grabbed a piece of glass and sliced through Daryl's arm but he didn't let go of her.

Throwing her on the bed Daryl held to one of her arms while Rick grabbed another. Emery thrashed and kicked. She didn't say a word the whole time she carried on. "Go through the drugs we have, find me something to subdue her." Hershel looked back at Maggie as he helped hold Emery down. Maggie ran out of the room.

"We have to tie her down." Rick struggled to hold onto to her.

"NO!" Daryl objected.

"We may have to to keep her from hurting herself further." Hershel agreed with Rick.

Maggie ran back into the room empty handed. They didn't have anything. Rick yelled to Shane and told him to put a board over the window, and to do it quickly. With the window closed and the glass cleaned up they removed the other furniture. All three men let go of her. Emery jumped up and backed into the corner. She didn't move as the three men left the room.

"We need to make a run. Get some sedatives." Hershel knew that the only way to work on Emery would be to sedate her.

"I'll go." Daryl spoke without hesitation.

"I need to stitch your arm."

"I'll take Maggie and Glen." Rick told him. "You stay here, if she clams down she may want you."

Hershel went right to work on Daryl's arm. While Rick, Maggie and Glen took off right away to find the supplies they needed. Daryl watched as Hershel sewed his arm up and cleaned the wound. "Why is she acting like that?" Daryl looked into Hershel's eyes for answers.

"Shock, it can make people do strange things."

"What do you think they did to her?"

"It's hard to tell." Hershel knew what he was asking

"Do you think they raped her?"

"I hope not." He patted Daryl on the back and walked out of the room.

Daryl sat there with his thoughts. Thinking of what she'd been through broke his heart. It didn't matter what anyone side to him, he blamed himself. That day in the woods, if he would had her running in front of him no one would have been able to grab her. If he would of turned back to check on her, just once he could of stopped it all from happening. Seconds seemed like minutes and minutes seemed like hours as the time passed. By the time they returned it was almost dark. They had found a town about an hour away. Hershel prepared a needle with the sedative.

Standing outside the door to her room Rick, Hershel and Daryl tried to figure out the best way to sedate Emery. "Were just going to have to go in there get her on the bed and hold her down." Rick looked at Daryl.

"Can't we just wait, maybe she'll be better in the morning." Daryl hated the idea of having to hold her down. After what she'd just been through he didn't want to restrain her.

"She's been shot, she's losing blood and I don't know how much. If we don't tend to her now she may not make it till morning. And it's hard to tell how long she's gonna be this way." Hershel tried to assure Daryl that this was what was best for Emery. Even though he didn't like the idea he agreed to help.

The three men opened the door and walked inside. Shutting the door behind them they found Emery huddled in the corner. As they got closer to her she got to her feet. Daryl got on the other side of the bed right in front of her. Rick got on the other side of the bed in case she jumped over the bed. Hershel stood back with a syringe in hand, just waiting for the others get her in a spot that he can inject her. Daryl looked over to Rick and they both silently counted to three.

As if a bomb went off Daryl jumped at Emery. She jumped on the bed and he grabbed her by the legs. Rick grabbed a hold of her arms. Emery screamed and thrashed under the hold of the men. They had to practically lay down on top of her to get her to hold still long enough for Hershel to give her the drug. As her body became limp they loosened their grip on her. Once she was completely out Daryl straightened her limp body on the bed and Hershel went to work.

When he was done Hershel left Daryl alone in the room with Emery. They had restrained her to the bed to keep her from tearing open the stitches. Shutting the door behind him Hershel reported to Rick. "She was pretty beat up. The gun shot. Three deep lacerations on her stomach. Her ankle was cut all the way around from the chain. She's bruised from head to toe, I wouldn't be surprised if she has a few broken ribs. These guys tried to kill her."

"And the other?" Rick asked.

"I'm not sure, we'll have to ask her when she wakes up." Hershel looked at the ground as he walked away. "I've left Daryl with her, between the sedative and the pain killers, she should be out most of the night."

Daryl sat in a chair next to Emery's bed all night. He gently ran his finger up and down her arm. He was afraid to touch her other wise. He watched her chest rise and fall with every breath she took. He didn't know how long it would for her to get back to her old self, or if she even would be the same old Emery. But he did know one thing. The people that did this to her were going to die, slowly and painfully.


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry if things seem a little slow, everything will pick up soon!**

The next morning Emery finally came to as the sun rose. Daryl wiped the sweat from her forehead. He talked softly to her, but she wouldn't respond. When she struggled to get free from the restraints he explained why she was tied to the bed. She wouldn't even look at him. It broke his heart. All he could think was that she much blame him as much as he blamed himself. Lifting a cup to her mouth he tried to get her to drink something. But she wouldn't, she wouldn't even open her mouth.

After an hour Daryl left the room. Hershel watched as he grabbed his bow and walked out the front door. He'd seen that look in Daryl's eyes before and he knew he was out for vengeance. On the front porch Rick was standing watching as Shane and Glen worked on finishing the fence. They'd all worked so hard and now they were only a day or two away from finishing the fence. Rick turned when he herd the door fly open and shut. He stopped Daryl before he could get off the porch. "Daryl wait. I know what you want to do, but you can't go alone." He tried to reason with him.

"Like hell I can't." Daryl tried to push past him. But Rick wouldn't let him.

"You can't just go over there and start killing people. We don't know how many people are over there or what kind of weapons they have. If she snaps out of this and your not here then what?"

"What do you mean if?" Daryl was agitated with his use of the word if.

"I mean when she comes out of this."

"No your right, Hershel said he didn't know if she would ever be herself again. And everyone of those bastards are gonna pay for it." He tired to walk past again, but again Rick stopped him.

"Listen to me. I understand, I do. And I agree they deserve anything you would do to them. But for now your better off here. She trusted you more than any one else here. When she comes out of this, your gonna be the first person she turns to." Rick looked him right in the eyes. Daryl's eyes said it all. He was on the brink of tears. He finally had someone that loved him the way he deserved to be loved and these people had almost taken that from him. The things they did to her they weren't even sure of yet. And he blamed himself for all of it.

"Fine." Daryl turned and walked back in the house. Rick sighed as Hershel walked out the door. The two men stood on the porch looking out across the large field that was now fenced in.

"He doesn't know what to do." Hershel spoke of Daryl. Although the two men were very different Hershel liked Daryl he knew he had a good heart and that was all that mattered to him.

"He wants to do the only thing he does know how to do. I can't say I blame him." Rick would feel the same way if it had been Lori that this had happen to.

The next few days were pretty much the same. Emery remained restrained to the bed. She would eat or drink for any one. Hershel eventually hooked her up to IV fluids, giving her pain killers and antibiotics that way. She wouldn't talk to any body and she wouldn't look anybody in the eye. Daryl stayed by her side only leaving to use the restroom, or when Hershel would change her bandages. She was clearly in pain and the sight of that was to much for him to bare.

"We can't leave her tied to the bed for ever." Hershel spoke to Rick and Daryl just outside of her room. It had been four days and she was to a point where she could get up and move around.

"We can't tell what she'll do." Rick was worried.

"All we can do is untie her and see what happens." Hershel looked at Daryl who just shrugged.

The three men agreed. Daryl and Rick walked into the room and walked to opposite sides of the bed. They removed the restraints from her hands and feet. Standing back they just waited to see how she would react. Emery rubbed her wrist which were bruised from her struggling. She sat there starring at the floor. Rick shook his head at Daryl and left the room. She didn't seem to be a threat, and Daryl was capable of keeping her from hurting herself or him.

Alone in the room Emery laid back on the bad and curled up into a ball. Daryl sat in a chair in the corner and just watched. His hate festered deep inside him. The longer she stayed like this the more his hate grew. Sitting there as the hours passed his eyes got heavier and heavier. At some point his eye lids won and he fell asleep.

Jumping Daryl's eyes opened widely. It was dark outside which meant he must have been asleep for a few hours at least. He rubbed his eyes until they adjusted to the dark. That's when he realized that Emery wasn't in the bed. He grabbed his bow sitting next to him and ran out of the room. He looked everywhere inside, he couldn't find her. He began to panic as he the feeling came back to him from the first day she disappeared. When he reached the front door he opened it ready to head back to the lodge where he found her.

Taking one step out the door he saw a small body sitting on the top step of the porch. It was Emery. Sitting there alone in the cold night air. He put his bow down and sat in a chair on the porch. He would of sat next to her but was afraid she would run off. She sat there looking strait forward. He didn't sit there long before he got cold. Emery was sitting there with nothing more than pants and a shirt.

Daryl walked inside the house and back with a blanket. Draping it around her shoulders Emery looked up at him for just a moment. She was thanking him with her eyes and he knew it. When she turned away he went back to the chair. They sat there the whole night. Daryl remained even after he knew she'd fallen asleep with her head against the railing.

The following morning the sun rose and it was back to business as usual. Rick walked onto the porch to find Daryl and Emery. She was asleep, he was awake and watching her like a hawk. "She sleep out here?" Rick asked.

Daryl stood up and walked to where Rick was standing. "Yea. I don't know how."

"Did she say anything?" Rick, like every one else was waiting for her to start talking. She'd been back for eight days now. And still she'd not spoken a word. Daryl shook his head no. Both men turned to look when the door opened. Hershel walked out to join them in the morning sun.

"Has she spoken?" Hershel asked. Both men shook their heads no. "We have another problem?"

"What's that?" Daryl asked.

"She's not eating or drinking. But the worst of it is, she's not taking the antibiotics. The wounds on her stomach have become infected and she won't let me take care of them." Hershel watched as Daryl turned to look at Emery. He thought that she was safe as long as she was there with him. Turns out he was wrong.

Still asleep Emery didn't notice Daryl pick her up and carry her to her bed. He covered her up and left the room. He wasn't sure what to do. The group needed supplies, the weather was getting colder and everyone needed warmer cloths. Daryl volunteered to go this time. Rick agreed to keep an eye on Emery while he was gone. Daryl hoped that a trip to town would give him a chance to clear his head and come up with a way to get through to Emery.

_**Thanks for reading. I will update as soon as I can.**_


	17. Chapter 17

The following morning Emery sat at the far end of the porch while Daryl and a few others got ready to leave. Daryl walked over to her and kissed her gently on the forehead. She didn't resist. Walking back to the others he stopped and looked at Rick. "She'll be fine." Rick reassured Daryl before he left. Once the group was gone every one else went to their morning chores.

Rick looked over to Emery who was still starring at nothing. She was broken and everything about her said so. Hershel came to Rick and handed him some pills. Rick looked at them and back at Hershel. "Maybe she will take them for you." Hershel had tried everything else. If she didn't let him treat the infection soon it would get into her blood and more than likely kill her.

"It's almost like she wants to die." Rick had see that look many times on the faces of people he tried to help while he was a cop.

Hershel patted Rick on the back and walked back into the house. Rick walked over to Emery and knelled down beside the chair she was sitting in. How can you make somebody want to live? "No body can take back what's been done. But if you just give up, then they win. And not only do you lose, but Daryl does too." Rick stood up and placed the pills on the hand rail on the porch. Right in her line of sight. Emery watched as he walked away.

The morning went by quietly enough. It wasn't until late afternoon when the sounds of Andrea screaming caused a panic. Rick, Hershel and Maggie all ran toward the sounds of the scream that were coming from the woods just outside the fence. When they finally reached her she had two men at gun point. A third lay on the ground at her feet dead. "There from the lodge." Rick spoke.

"What do we do with them?" Maggie asked keeping her gun aimed right at them.

"Take them back to the shed we had the last two in." Rick instructed them.

Andrea and Hershel went ahead to be sure the shed would be ready for them. Maggie and Rick tied the two men together then began to make their way to the shed. No one said a single word. And the silence was thick all around them. In a moment Rick threw his hand up making them all stop. They could hear foot steps in the trees around them. When they stopped the foot steps stopped. They continued to walk well aware that there were more people around them.

Abruptly something jumped from behind a tree and in front of Rick and Maggie. Before they could gather their barrings the two men where on the ground and blood was flying every where. Maggie's eyes grew wide as she stood back and watched. Rick turned his attention from Maggie to the men. In front of him on the ground was Emery hovering over the two men repeatedly stabbing them with a sharpened stick.

Rick grabbed Emery and pulled her off the two men, they were well past dead. She fought with him. She wanted nothing more than to tear them into pieces. Rick turned her to face him. "Emery, Emery, their dead, their dead you killed them. It's over."

"They said they'd come back for me." Emery whispered to Rick. Before he could say or do anything she turned and ran away from him.

Maggie walked to Ricks side and looked at him. Neither of them could believe what they had just seen. She had jumped them and killed them with the speed of an animal. "It's getting dark, we need to go." Rick took Maggie by the arm and led her away. She was half in shock. Killing walkers was part of like these days. But killing another human being with such hate, she wasn't use to.

When Maggie and Rick reached the main building the group returned with the supplies. When Daryl jumped from the truck he saw Rick returning from outside the fence with blood on him. "What happen? Where's Emery?" He bombarded Rick the second he reached him.

"She's fine." Rick calmed him. "Andrea came across two men from that lodge. Maggie and I were bringing them back here and Emery came out of nowhere and killed them."

"Good." Daryl was proud of her. "Why the hell didn't you kill them off the bat?"

"I thought we could find out what is going on over there?" Rick had a plan for the two men. Every one began to unload the truck including Daryl. Rick grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to the side. "She spoke to me." Rick said softly.

"What?" Daryl dropped what he was carrying. How could she speak to Rick and not him.

"What the hell did she say?"

"She said that they said they'd come back for her." Rick looked away. He knew that Daryl was hurt.

After dinner, which Emery didn't come to, Daryl went back to her room to check on her. Once again she wasn't there. He went to the porch, she wasn't there either. The only other place she could be was the bathroom. He ran to the door and swung it open with out knocking. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her. Her shirt was lifted and the lacerations across her stomach had turned black from the infection. She had tears in her eyes, it was clear she was in a lot of pain.

"Help." Emery whispered softly to him. Daryl walked to her and tied to pull the old bandages off. As soon as he began to pull on them she cried harder and winced from the pain.

"Just wait, okay, don't move." Daryl left her and quickly returned with Hershel and all the medical supplies.

After a few hours Hershel was finally finished cleaning her wounds and replacing all the bandages. Emery returned to her room where Daryl was sitting on the bed. She sat down next to him. After a few moments he handed her a glass of water and some pills. Without a fight, a sigh, a moments hesitation she took them. Hershel had given her some pain pills as well, the mixture was sure to make her sleep.

Laying down with her back to Daryl he wondered if he should lay down or leave her be. Sitting there he was taken off guard when he felt her hand take his. She pulled him so that his hand was rapped around her. From what he'd seen in the bathroom he was afraid to touch her. But he was so thankful to be laying next to her again. Touching her soft skin, smelling the sweet smell of her hair. He would walk through fire to have this every night.

In the back of his mind he knew that everything wasn't going to just go back to normal. Not just like that. She wasn't going to just forget what happen. Neither was he. He hadn't forgotten his plan to go back to that lodge and kill every last one of those assholes that so much as looked at Emery.

But for that very moment being able to hold her meant the world to him. Once he was sure she was asleep he reached down in his pocket. He pulled out a simple silver bracelet. While looking for supplies he came across it. He remember her saying once that she didn't like overly flashy jewelry. She liked the classic look. While she slept he placed it on her wrist. He'd never felt this way about a woman before and he had no idea how to express it. But he'd seen this in a movie a long time ago, so he hoped it worked.

_**JUST AN FYI I WILL BE MOVING IN A FEW WEEKS WHICH MEAN A TRANSFER OF INTERNET, AND ALL THAT FUN STUFF. SO IF I DON'T UPDATE FOR WHAT SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME, DON'T GIVE UP HOPE. I WILL BE WORKING ON THIS, AND I WILL UPDATE AS MUCH AS I CAN AS FAST AS I CAN. THANKS FOR UNDER STANDING.**_


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N** SORRY IF THE UPDATES ARE A LITTLE SLOW FOR RIGHT NOW, I'M A VERY BUSY MOM. BUT I TRY TO WRITE EVERYDAY SO I UPDATE AS MUCH AS I CAN.**_

The following morning Emery woke up before Daryl. She walked to the bathroom rubbing some water on her face. Finally opening her eyes she saw the bracelet on her wrist. Looking back at Daryl as he slept she wondered what this gesture meant. She knew he was tired, so she left the room to let him sleep. The rest of the group was eating breakfast. Emery still wasn't up for being social. She slipped outside unnoticed.

She walked around the fence looking out at what once was. She knew Rick and Daryl were working on a plan to go back to lodge and finished what she started. But until her wounds were healed she wouldn't be able to keep up. When she reached the far west corner she realized she wasn't alone. y "You know a few of us think this was all some desperate attempt for attention." His voice pierced her ears.

Emery knew the voice instantly. When she turned around she was surprised to find Shane standing right next to her. "So what really happen at that lodge?" He asked her as he brushed hair away from her face. She slapped his hand away. "What? You use to like it when I touched your face."

"I know the filth you've been touching lately."

"Yea well what she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"But it might kill you." She smiled looking past Shane.

"You know miss the feel of my body against yours." Suddenly he felt something hit him in the back of the head hard. Falling to his knees he turns and looks up.

"And if you don't keep your hands to yourself your gonna feel my foot in your ass." Daryl kicked Shane in the stomach. Emery took his hand and stepped over Shane's crumpled body. As he laid there watching her walk away with Daryl, Shane swore to himself that he was gonna make them leave if it was the last thing he did.

The day went by as usual with Emery keeping her distance from Shane and Andrea. And Daryl keeping an eye on her everywhere she went. Work had began on a barn. The hope was that they would be able to find some kind of live stock. Winter was just around the corner and the days were much shorter. Emery stood to the side and watched Daryl work.

"Glad to finally be out and about?" Rick asked standing next to her. Emery shook her head yes. She was happy to be back on the side of the living. Over the past few weeks she'd taken to Rick as if he were her older brother.

As the sun set every one went in to eat. Emery stood watching the sky change colors. Daryl stopped and watched with her. He'd never been much of a talker himself, so Emery's silence the past week or so was okay with him. When she did finally start talking to him, Daryl couldn't believe what she did say.

"Why are you still with me?" Emery asked and still looked forward. Daryl looked at her, waiting for her to look at him. But she never did.

"Why would you ask me that?" He didn't know what else to say.

"I'm not the same person I was. I don't think I'll ever be that person again."

"I want to be with you, so I am."

"But why?" Emery didn't want him sticking around just because he'd become accustomed to her being there. She needed something more. She needed him to need her the way she needed him. "I mean why did you give me this?" She held up her hand showing him the bracelet.

"Because your my girl." Daryl was at a lost for words.

"That's it, because we use to have sex. That's why you want to be with me. What if we never have sex again?" She was beginning to get upset.

"I don't care about that."

"Then why!?" She shouted no longer able to hold back the tears they streamed down her face.

"Because I love you." Daryl took a hold of her face making her look him in the eye. "I love you and I will never forgive myself for what those bastards did to you. I will never let anything happen to you again." He kissed her forehead gently.

Emery stepped back. Shock swept over her body. She didn't know he knew the word love. He'd never said it before about anything. As she replayed his words in her head she realized he'd said something wrong.

"What do you mean forgive yourself."

"That day in the woods, you were with me. I should have made sure you were okay."

"You can't blame yourself. In no way what so ever was any of this your fault." Emery walked to the porch and sat down. Daryl followed and sat down next to her. "What I said is still true. I will never be that person again." She placed her head in her hands and sighed. They sat there for a long time. Silent in the cold night air.

"What happen?" He finally asked her. He'd wanted to know since the day he found her chained to that tree.

"I'm not sure that's something you really want to know." She didn't want to look at him, but after a minute of silence she looked at him. He gave her that look, the one she'd seen so many times before. She knew he wanted to know. "I was right beside you, keeping up with you." She started talking and he listened intently.

"I think we were trying to find Glen. I just remember running, and then hitting the ground hard. When my head quiet spinning I looked up and two men were holding me down. They drug me back to the lodge. Some guy..." Emery stopped as her voice trembled. "Some guy threw me on a table and told them to hold me down. They took turns." She looked away. She didn't need to give details, Daryl already knew what they had done.

"When they were done they chained me to that tree. The one cut me, saying that the blood would draw any walkers that were around to me."

"They used you as bait?" He asked.

"They said they did this to give themselves a chance to get away if needed. Draw attention away from the lodge and to me. Every night they would come out and cut me again so there would be fresh blood. There were a few walkers, I had to kill them with my hands. I didn't think I would ever see you again. Every night as it got cold, all I could think about was much I wanted you to hold me in your arms one more time." Tears ran down her face. Daryl put his arms around her.

"I don't think I slept the whole time you were gone. Not knowing where you were, how could I sleep. Now all I want to do is kill every last one of them." He held her tighter.

"I want them dead." She wiped her face. "I want them to suffer. I want them tied to a tree not knowing if a bunch of walkers will kill them or not. I want three people to hold them down and do things to them that they have no control over."

"I promise, they will suffer." Daryl kissed her cheek. He made her stand up and go in the house. Getting into bed he got close to her. Feeling his body next to hers made her feel like she was in the safest place she could be. Daryl listened as her breathing slowed and she finally feel asleep. "I promise, they will suffer." He whispered.

_**THANKS FOR READING, PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK IT MAKES ME SMILE**_


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N***SORRY THE UPDATE TOOK SO LONG, MOVING WAS A LOT OF WORK. THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS AND FOLLOWS. I LOVE TO SEE THE FEEDBACK AND FOLLOWS MAKES ME SMILE. **

The next morning Daryl found Rick as he walked the perimeter of the fence. As he got closer the look on his face told Rick all he needed to know. "We need to finish this things with those people." Daryl looked Rick right in the eye.

"I know, I've been waiting for the right time." Rick wanted to reassure him that he hadn't forgotten. But Daryl wasn't having any of it. And he wasn't waiting anymore.

"No, no more waiting." Daryl waved his hands. With out an invitation Shane joined them to put his two cents in.

"What are we not waiting on?" Shane stood there looking from one man to the other. Daryl had been looking for a good reason to knock Shane on his ass. This was as good of time as any. "Wait, your not thinking about going after these people just because of her?"

"What the hell do you mean just because of her?" Daryl moved closer to Shane. Rick stepped in between the two men.

"Look man this girl is nothing but a hassle. We need to just cut her lose." Shane rubbed his head.

"If we get rid of any one it will be your woman." Daryl pointed toward Andrea.

"Listen redneck Andrea doesn't wonder off getting herself into trouble."

"No she just spreads like butter on hot toast."

"Are you so sure Emery didn't enjoy the sex over there?" Shane crossed a line. Daryl pushed Rick out of the way and jumped on Shane. The two men fell to the ground. Rolling in the dirt they both swung their fist. Rick finally pulled Daryl off of Shane. When Shane finally got to his feet they circled Rick like two men in a boxing ring.

"Listen, I agree we need to deal with these people. But we can't just run in their with no game plan." Rick pushed them away from each other.

"Why are you willing to risk our people for her? We need to stay put and wait for them to come to us."

The three of them argued over what they each felt needed to be done. Lost in their fight they didn't even notice Carol and Andrea walk up to them. "Emery's gone again." Carol said stopping their fighting.

"What?" Daryl snapped.

"She said you guys didn't need to keep fighting, she was going to take care of this herself." Carol followed behind Daryl as he hurried to the porch. Rick was right behind him.

"You can't seriously being going after that bitch." Shane tried to stop Rick.

"Let her go, she knows that it's not worth you guys getting hurt for." Andrea yelled trying to get their attention. And she did just that. Rick turned around to her.

"What are you talking about?" Rick looked at her. The look in her eye knowing that there was more to what she had said then just the words.

"I told her that she needed to get over this shit. There was no need to risk any one else just because of her."

"What the hell did you do that for?" Daryl grabbed Andrea by the arm. Shane pushed Daryl away from Andrea.

"Let her go, if she comes back fine, if not oh well. She's been nothing but trouble since she showed up. " Shane puffed his chest out. Andrea stood behind him with a smug look on her face.

"That's enough, what ever beef you have between you two and Emery ends now." Rick picked up his riffle and began to walk away. Daryl grabbed his bow and followed. There would be plenty of time to deal with Shane and Andrea later.

Rick and Daryl ran through the woods. Following the same trail they had followed a few weeks before when they had found Emery chained to that tree. When they cam to the edge of the other groups lodge they found two men laying dead on the ground. They stopped and knelled down close to the ground. There were two men dead from having their throats cut. One of the men had his hands cut off.

"Guess he should of never touched her." Daryl smirked. The man got what he deserved. They looked around. The placed looked deserted. Slowly Rick and Daryl walked toward the lodge. Once inside they found dead walkers everywhere. They were recently killed either. A scream came from the back of the building. Both men took off running.

Kicking through a locked door Daryl found Emery. A man held her around the neck with a gun to her head. "Take another step and she's walker food." The man told them. Emery was bleeding from the nose and mouth and her hands were tied behind her back. Rick and Daryl put their weapons down and held their hands up. "Where Gus and James?"

"I killed them." Emery smirked. Daryl gave her a look to behave. He didn't want the man to kill her. "And I cut off their hands."

"You lie bitch."

"Wait till you see what I have in store for you."

"I'll kill you before you see the next sunrise." The man moved her so he could knee her in the stomach. She fell to the ground holding her stomach from the pain. As Daryl and Rick moved closer he pointed the gun back at her head. "I'll shoot her." He cocked his gun. They were taken by surprise when three more men walked into the room. They picked up the weapons from the floor and made Rick and Daryl get on their knees. He then tied their hands behind their backs. "Now which one of you is in love with her?" The man asked with an evil look on his face.

One of the other men stood there with a gun pointed at Rick and Daryl, while the other two went to another room and came back with a table. "Come on now, one of you must be in love with her, why else would you have chased after her like you have?" The man knelled down and took Emery by the hair lifting her head off the ground. "Did you tell him how it felt with me inside you? How I made you say my name?" He spoke with a soft tone and didn't look away from the two men on their knees before him. Daryl tried to get up as the man spoke. The man behind him made him stay put.

"Ah, your the one." He looked at Daryl. "If you thought the not knowing was hard wait till you see this. Your going to have a front row seat for the reenactment." The man pulled Emery up by her hair and slammed her face against the table. Daryl tried to get up, the man hit him with the but of his gun. Daryl fell to the floor as he head began to bleed.

"You know what might make this an even more memorable experience for all of us?" The man motioned for one of his guys to hold onto Emery. He walked over to Rick and made him stand. Daryl had gotten back to his knees and watched. At that moment he couldn't do any more than that. The man pushed Rick until he was right in front of Emery. Standing there with her hands tied behind her back Emery looked helplessly at Rick.

Emery had dealt with this man before. He was evil, not sick, just plain evil. She knew he was going to have Rick kill her. He walked behind Rick and cut his hands free. Taking a chair from the corner he drug it across the floor sitting it next to Daryl he sat down. Holding his gun to Daryl's head he looked at Rick. "Screw her." He instructed. Rick turned to the man with disgust on his face. Daryl again began to fidget. Both men put a hand on his shoulders holding him in place. The one man standing next to Rick pushed him toward Emery.

There next to the table Emery and Rick stood with their bodies barley an inch apart. "It's simple, your going to screw her while your friend watches and we'll leave you to the walkers, where you might have a fighting chance. Or, you refuse and you and your friend can watch me and my boys violate her over and over again and then we'll kill all of you. And when were finished with all of you we'll go back to your camp and finished off the rest of your group."

Neither Rick or Emery moved. It seemed there was no way to win. The man behind him pushed him again. This time he pushed Rick against Emery. "DO IT!" The man yelled. He was growing tired of his orders not being followed. Standing up he took Emery and threw her on the table onto her back. He grabbed Rick and pushed his face against hers. With his cheek against hers Rick braced his hands on either side of her body trying to hold himself up. "Last chance cowboy. What's it going to be?" Rick turned to look at Daryl who was still stuck on the floor on his knees. All they needed was one second, just one single second of a distraction.

**A/N****SORRY TO LEAVE YOU WITH A CLIFF HANGER, BUT I WILL UPDATE VERY SOON. ALREADY HAVE THE NEXT CHAPTER STARTED. AS ALWAYS FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A REVIEW.**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N*** THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS AND FOLLOWS AND FAVS. IT MAKES MY HEART MELT! HERE IT IS, I HOPE YOU LIKE IT. **

Back with the group Carol told everyone else what had happen and that Rick and Daryl went after Emery. "Glen maybe you should go after them. Take Shane with you." Carol suggested. Glen looked around but didn't see Shane. After a quick search they group came back together with out Shane or Andrea. "Their gone."

"Their stuff is gone too." Maggie added.

"Where the hell would they go?" Glen didn't know what was going. Rick and Daryl had left to get Emery and not returned. Now Shane and Andrea were gone as well. "Everybody needs to stay inside. We need to keep extra watch until we figure out what is going on." Glen quickly took the lead. He put extra people on watch and locked the building down. He and Maggie went from room to room checking to be sure there wasn't someone hiding.

Things seemed to be going wrong at a very alarming rate. Once they were sure the inside was secure Glen and Maggie checked the outside. They went around the entire perimeter of the building, then checked each and ever small buildings as well. As they walked along the fence they couldn't find anything. Nothing was out of place. There were no signs anywhere of people coming or going. They couldn't figure out what was going on around them.

Back inside with the others Glen made the decision to go after Rick and Daryl. But with night quickly approaching Maggie and Hershel convinced him to wait till morning. The last thing he needed to do was come across Rick or Daryl in the woods and shoot one of them or they shoot him not realizing who the other was. They had enough other people trying to kill them, they didn't need to start killing each other.

Rick could feel a tear fall down Emery's cheek as his face was still pressed to hers. The man was still holding the back of his head so that his body was against hers. Emery wasn't scared she was mad. If she hadn't listened to Andrea then she wouldn't be there. And she wouldn't of gotten Rick and Daryl into the mess they were in at that moment. "Okay cowboy." The man released Ricks head and shot Emery in the arm.

"OKAY, OKAY!" Rick yelled through Emery's scream, throwing his hands up.

"Bastards!" Daryl yelled as he was kicked in the stomach. He fell to the floor and watched as Rick stood up and slowly reached to his belt. Tears were freely streaming down both sides of Emery's face now. Swallowing hard Rick unbuckled his belt. He moved as slowly as he could, trying to buy himself time. As he unzipped his pants another man ran into the room.

"He's here." The man spoke and quickly retreated out of the room.

"Tough luck cowboy." The man slapped Rick on the back. "Zip it up, you'll have to finish this later. Take them to the walk in and lock them in." He instructed his other men and left. The two men took Emery and Daryl who still had their hands tied behind their backs, along with Rick to the walk in freezer. Shoving them inside he locked the door behind them.

Once the door was shut Rick quickly untied Daryl. The two men then turned their attention to Emery. Daryl untied her hands while Rick took of his under shirt and pressed it against the hole in her arm. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for you guys to get caught in this mess!" Emery cried and repeated over and over again.

"They didn't?" Daryl asked holding her face so that she would look at him.

"No, no they were about to until you guys showed up." She shook her head as Daryl wiped the tears from her face. Rick took his belt and tightened it around the shirt and her arm.

"Emery, you know I wasn't." Rick chocked on his words.

"I know, you would never do anything like that. And I sorry."

"I'm gonna kill them." Daryl stood and tried to pull the door open.

"Their gonna come back and try to finish what they started. We need to figure out some way out of this before they do." Rick looked at Daryl.

A bright light woke Emery for a sound sleep. She didn't know it but she had fallen asleep and was now being pulled to her feet. Two men were pulling her from the freezer while three others were holding Daryl and Rick back. She held tightly to Daryl's hand until one of the men pulled her just out of his reach. She starred into his eyes until they shut the door locking Rick and Daryl behind. "SHIT!" Daryl yelled kicking the door. He knew the type of men that had just taken her from him again. And he knew very well what they were about to do to her again. This time though, they more than likely wouldn't let her live.

Daryl paced the floor waiting for someone to open the door again. This time they wouldn't ambush him. The second he could get his hands on one of them he was going to snap their neck. He bit the skin at the end of his fingers nervously waiting, trying not to think about what was being done to the one he loved and now needed more than the air in his lungs.

The sun wasn't even up yet and Glen was ready and waiting. He stood next to the door with his shotgun in hand. The first sign of light and he was going. T-Dog walked up and stood next to him holding a gun as well. They didn't need words. Glen knew what T-Dog was doing, and he was glad the he didn't have to go alone.

The sun began to appear as Glen kissed Maggie and told her goodbye. Walking through the woods neither man knew what they would encounter. They didn't know if Rick and Daryl were dead and that's why they never came back. They didn't know if they would find Shane and Andrea in the woods dead. Things were starting to get strange. But they sure as hell were gonna get answers.

Rick and Daryl stood next to the door and listened. There were people on the other side standing there, talking. They got ready. As soon as that door opened they would gab the people standing there and kill them. It had been hours since they'd taken Emery and this was the first sounds they'd herd. They looked at each other nodding to the other that they were ready. The door swung open. Light poured in and just as they started to move their eyes adjusted. In front of them stood the same man their dealt with the day before. He was holding Emery by the arm.

"Be good boys. You misbehave and she gets punished. Now come along, there's someone that wants to talk to you." The man pulled Emery to walk along side of him. Her hands were tied behind her back again. She was gagged and unable to speak. Daryl and Rick followed with two men behind them with loaded guns.

They were lead into a room and made to get back on their knees. Their hands were once again tied behind their backs, and they were gagged. The man took Emery and sat her in a chair on the other side of the room facing Rick and Daryl. The man walked behind her and touched her shoulder. She flinched trying to escape his touch. He grabbed her by the hair. "Now behave." He pushed her head forward as he let go.

"Should we tell your friends about all the fun you've had in their absence?" The man sat in a chair next to Emery and placed his hand on her knee. Looking Daryl right in the eye he moved his hand from her knee to her thigh. "Maybe we should tell them how you and the new leader of this group just got reacquainted." The man smiled. Emery tried to speak, but the rag in her mouth wouldn't allow her.

Rick and Daryl questioned the man's use of the word reacquainted. What did he mean by that? "From what I saw she didn't put up a fight." The man walked toward Daryl. "In fact it looked like she enjoyed it." He stepped behind Daryl and pushed him forward. Knelling down next to Rick the man began to whisper. "He's even had a piece of the one you love." He smiled at Rick. Standing up he walked back and stood behind Emery. As a door in the back of the room opened Rick and Daryl both looked. Neither of them could believe their eyes. Two men walked in and behind them walked in Shane.

**A/N*** I KNOW I'M EVIL...BUT I COULDN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO END THIS CHAPTER. I WILL UPDATE VERY SOON. I HOPE TO UPDATE SUNDAY AFTER THE WALKING DEAD. I WILL TRY VERY HARD. AS ALWAYS I LOVE ANY FEEDBACK. THANKS FOR READING!**


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N SORRY TH**_**E UPDATE TOOK SO LONG, BUT I HAVE TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND I LOOK AFTER MY GRANDPARENTS SOME TIMES I JUST CANT FIND TIME TO WRITE. BUT HERE IT IS HOPE YOU LIKE IT.**

Kneeling bound and gagged with guns to their heads Rick and Daryl watched as Shane from one side of the room to the other. Rick's blood boiled with feelings of betrayal. "See Rick, if you knew how to control your people this one here.." Shane pulled Emery's head back pulling at her hair. "Well she never would of led the two of you into this mess. And me and Andrea would of just slipped away."

As he finished his sentence Andrea walked into the room. Her eyes immediately fell on Rick. She'd always liked him and harbored no ill will toward him. Nor did she blame his for the events that led her to part ways with him. Shane on the other hand believed all the blame for his current problems started and ended with Rick.

"If you would of just been man enough none of this would be happening." Shane paced around the room with his goons watching his every move. Rick watched and with every step Shane took the pieces began to fall into place. All the things that went missing from camp. The people coming and going with out a single person noticing. Shane had been helping these people for months.

"Now that you know the truth I can't just let you walk back to your camp. And I don't think you'll be happy here. So what do I do with you? My men seem to really enjoy Emery's company, so she can stay. But you two aren't welcome." Shane nodded to one of the men. Pushing the tip of his gun to Ricks head the man cocked his gun. "We'll offer for everyone else to join us, those who chose not to, well there's a whole large enough for them out back."

Nodding once again to the other man Shane had Andrea taken out of the room. She had long ago been brain washed by him and nothing he did was wrong in her eyes. Shane stopped next to Emery and made her stand. Removing the gag from her mouth he tired to kiss her. Turning her check to him she kneed him. Shane feel to the ground and the man hold the gun to Rick's head turned and shot Daryl in leg causing him to fall.

"Hey!" Emery yelled and tried to go to Daryl as he cussed under his gag. Shane got back to his feet and back handed Emery causing her to fall to the floor. With all three of them on the ground in one convenient place Shane held his gun up.

"I'm done playing games with you people." Shane cocked his gun as his goon walked to his side. Daryl leaned over Emery hoping to protect her from what was to come. Rick watched as Shane's finger slowly pulled back on the trigger.

BANG! THUD! The sound of glass and wood breaking filled the air in between the sound of gun fire. T-Dog and Glen broke through the window behind Shane and tackled him and his goon. As soon as they realized it, Shane and the man left the room. T-Dog flipped the table up and shot back as the sound of bullets filled the air. Glen made quick work of cutting the three lose.

Once free Rick and Glen joined T-Dog firing back at Shane and his men. "Take Daryl and get out of here!" Rick yelled to Emery as they created a diversion. Emery helped Daryl to his feet and the retreated out the door away from the gun fire. Once he saw that they were out of the room Rick sent Glen and T-Dog to follow Daryl and Emery. The last one out Rick tried to catch a glimpse of Shane. With no luck he was sure that Shane was still alive, and wasn't going to just let them go.

The five of them ran through the woods as quickly as possible. Only looking back to be sure there was no one following them. Once at camp Rick ordered every one inside and locked the building down. Shane would be coming after them, and he was never one to be known for his patients. "What the hell was that Shane?" Glen asked trying to catch his breath.

Hershel hurried to Daryl removing the bullet and closing the wound. "Yea." Rick answered looking around the room filled with people relying on him to keep them safe. How was he so post to do that. His right hand man had turned on him. The person he trusted with all the secrets of their building, and all his back up plans if something should ever go wrong, the person he trusted to look after his wife and child if something should happen to him, had just tried to kill him.

"We have to kill him, we have to end this now, once and for all." T-Dog looked at Rick for an answer. Rick didn't have at that moment. Going back to that place wasn't going to work. Shane would be more than prepared for that. Staying there and waiting for him to come knock on the door wasn't an option either. He didn't know how many people Shane had, nor how many weapons he had.

"We put people on guard, wait for them to show up, kill them as they come." Glenn suggested.

"He will have thought of that. Plus he knows every weakness this place has. He knows what kind of guns we have, how many people everything." Rick paced back and fourth trying to come up with some kind of where scenario he didn't lose all the people he cared for.

"Then we can't stay here." Maggie stood up in the middle of everybody. "We can't go there and fight him, and if we stay here were just waiting for him to come kill us."

"We can't just leave, we worked to hard to make this place a home to just give it up to him." Glen grew upset at the thought of losing everything they had worked for, risked their lives for.

"What if we just act like were leaving." Emery spoke standing and leaving Daryl's side. "He's got people watching this place. I over herd people talking. We load up, leave in a hurry, make him think we've given up. Him and his people will move in here." Emery looked at Rick as he approached her.

"They want to come here?" Rick asked.

"Yea, while they thought I was out I over herd Shane and his groupies talking. They were gonna kill us, come here and offer everyone the chance to stay and play nice, as they put it, those who didn't what to do things his way he was gonna kill." Emery looked back down at Daryl.

"You think he'd come after us if we just leave, run scared?" Daryl asked Rick.

"I don't know."

"The first thing he's gonna do is take this place. We keep watch, find out how many people he has, gather some guns and wait for the right time." Emery looked back to Rick.

"If we leave why even bother fighting, just let him have it." Hershel hated the thought of needless fighting.

"Because this is our home, and I don't that he won't come looking for us at some point. T-Dog's right we need to end this now." Rick paused for a moment and looked around the room. "Everybody gather your stuff, travel light, and don't talk. If he dose have people around I don't want them getting wind of our plan to come back." Rick took Lori and Carl by the arm leading them to the room they shared. The rest of the group slowly moved to their rooms. Once they were sure that Rick was serious they moved more quickly.

Alone in the room she now shared with Daryl Emery sat on the bed. Daryl hobbled around the room gathering his things when he noticed that Emery was not moving. Sitting on the bed next to her he took a deep breath. "Did they?" He spoke softly.

"No, not this time." She answered but never broke her stair from the floor. "Do you think this will work.?"

"I hope so." He turned to her. Looking at her with her hair down around her face all he wanted was to kiss her. They'd had no physical contact other than him holding her at night. He wanted to kiss her, feel her body next to his. But he didn't dare touch her in that manner until he was sure she was ready.

Emery turned to Daryl to catch him starring at her. She was replaying a moment in her mind. As Shane held the gun pointed at them, ready to pull the trigger and kill them, Daryl placed his body in front of hers. Even after he'd been shot he was still will to take another bullet for her. Tears began to form and stream down her cheeks. Daryl placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Don't cry, it's okay. I told you I wouldn't let anything happen to you." Daryl wondered if he'd done something wrong to make her upset. "Don't be scared, this will work..."

"It's not that." Emery cut him off. "You really do love me don't you?" She asked him wiping the tears from her face. Daryl nodded giving her funny look. "I love you too Daryl Dixon." Emery leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you too."

_**HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT, AND TRUST ME SHANE IS GONNA GET HIS, JUST HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW. I WILL TRY TO UPDATE VERY SOON. BUT IF I CAN'T THANKS FOR UNDERSTANDING.**_


	22. Chapter 22

**THIS IS JUST KIND OF FILLER, NO REAL ACTION. BUT THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE FULL OF ACTION.**

Grabbing very few possessions everyone loading into the cars and left quickly. Emery and Daryl rode in silence in his truck. It was unclear where they were going or where they would end up. They had to put some distance between them and Shane, but stay close enough that they could keep an eye on Shane's group.

The drove into the night. Rick pulled up to a large old plantation type house. Everyone parked so that the head lights lit up the front of the house. Daryl, Rick, Glen and T-Dog got out of their cars and went inside the house. After a few minutes they returned carrying two walkers out of the house. Rick signaled for everyone to go inside.

Entering the front door everyone walked into a large living room. It was clear that people had been held up there for a while. All the windows and doors were boarded up. The house was clear of walkers and seemed safe enough, at least for the moment. When the sun rose the next morning they could work out a plan.

Rick quickly made a schedule for two man groups to watch. Daryl and Emery volunteered for first watch. Well Emery spoke for the both of them. But Daryl wasn't going to let her be on watch with anyone but him. Everyone found a spot to rest their head for the night. Glen and Maggie took a small room on the second floor. T-Dog, Carol, Hershel and Beth all found a spot in the living room. Merle took a room all to himself.

Outside Daryl and Emery walked back and fourth in front of the house. Neither said a word. The events of the last few days had taken it's toll on everyone. Daryl kept an eye out for walkers, but never once took his eyes off her. As they met in the middle of the front of the house he stopped her. "Hey." He spoke softly taking a hold of her arm.

"What?" She looked into his eyes.

"If this thing with Shane's group goes sour, and something happens to me."

"Nothing is gonna happen to you." Emery didn't like where the conversation was headed.

"If something happens, don't worry about saving me. You run. You get as far as way as fast as you can. You save yourself. No matter what, you save yourself." Daryl couldn't imagine life without her. He wanted her to live weather he did or not.

"Would you leave without trying to save me?"

"No." He thought that was a stupid question. She should know better by now. She was his world.

"Then it's not fair for you to ask me to do so." Emery had that look on her face that he knew all to well.

"I mean it! You go and don't look back."

"Nothing's gonna happen." She smiled and tried to escape his grip. But he pulled her back to face him.

"You promise me. Promise me!" he was forceful with his voice. Emery was silent. She didn't know what to say. She'd never seen him like this before. "I have to know your gonna be safe no matter what." He pulled her tightly to him and rapped his arms around her. "No matter what."

"I promise." Resting her head on his shoulder she held tightly to him. If she didn't let go she wouldn't have to worry about that promise.

When the door opened Daryl and Emery turned to see Rick and T-Dog coming out to relive them for the night. Inside they found an empty room. Laying on the bed with her head on his chest she kept replaying his words in her mind. Is this how things would end between them? With her running away as Daryl was killed by walkers or Shane. No. She wasn't going to think like that. Cause if he was gonna die so was she. There would be no world with out Daryl.

The next morning the sun peaked through a crack in the boards over the window and right into Emery's face. She rolled to reach for Daryl but was alone. Sitting up she took a drink of water from the bottle next to the bed before she made her way downstairs to find Daryl. As she walked past the kitchen she over herd Rick telling Glen and Maggie where to go to see if they could figure anything out about Shane's group. She just walked past having one goal in mind. Daryl.

Outside she found him standing next to a large oak tree a few yards away from the house. "Why didn't you wake me up?" She as she raised her hand to block the sun from her eyes.

"You needed to sleep." He answered as he stuffed items into a bag.

"What are you doing?"

"Me and Merle are gonna go hunting, try to find some food."

"I'll with you guys." Emery hated it when Daryl left with out her. Leaving her to wait for him to return, if he returned.

"It's quicker with just the two of us."

"I can keep up."

"I want you to stay here!" He looked her straight in the eye.

"Your getting awful demanding with what you want me to do. Next thing you know you'll be wanting me to shine your boots and cut up your dinner." She huffed at him

"I just want you to stay here and stay out of trouble. Rick said he'd keep an eye on you."

"Excuse me?" Emery question him. Daryl knew from the look on her face that he had said something wrong. "I don't need Rick to babysit me. And don't worry I won't be any trouble for you either." She walked away without giving him the chance to say another word.

Walking to the house Rick passed her. He stopped to talk to her. "What are you up to?" He was trying to be nice. Unfortunately for him Daryl had just pissed her off.

"It's none of your dam business. Daryl doesn't own me, and I don't need you to babysit." She kept walking. Rick looked around wondering what had just happen. He shook his head and continued to walk. She wasn't going to get to far, so he didn't worry.

Daryl left with Merle. He was worried about Emery. But they had to find food, no body would last long with out food. He walked along behind Merle listening to him talk about how to hunt, and what Daryl always did wrong. Daryl just rolled his eyes and said nothing. He was more than use to Merle's way of acting like he knew everything. "Now that piece of ass that's got you running around like a pussy." Merle said and Daryl stopped. He didn't care what he said about anything else. But Emery was off limits.

"Shut up about Emery." Daryl walked up along side of his brother so he could look in his eyes. Merle was never one to get the point until someone beat him across the head with it.

"See like that, she's dragging you around on a leash. It should be the other way around. You need to teach her who is boss, maybe then she wouldn't always be wondering off getting into trouble." Merle loved to say what ever he had to get under Daryl's skin.

"You run your mouth a lot about women for someone who never had a serious relationship."

"That's by my choice little brother. Who needs the trouble?"

"Well you don't know anything about her so keep your mouth shut." Daryl walked past his brother.

"Okay, fine. But don't come crying to me when she's giving you a problem and you don't know what to do."

Emery helped T-Dog work around the house making sure the boards weren't weak, or in need of replacing. The daylight was fading in the distance when Glen and Maggie returned with news of Shane's group. His group out numbered them two to one. But they only had a few guns. Rick felt good about that. If they were smart they could easy over power the other group and reclaim their home.

Once the sun had set Daryl and Merle returned. No deer as hoped but they had two dozen squirrels and rabbits. As every one ate Emery sat across the room from Daryl. If looks could hurt someone he would of chocked on his food. When the night came to an end Emery was the first to leave the room. Daryl walked to the room, as he pulled on the door knob he found the door was locked. Scratching his head he knew there was nothing he could do. Turning he walked back to the living room and found a place to sleep.

_**QUICK QUESTION...I HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF HOW TO END THIS AND LEAVE IT TO START A PART TWO, SHOULD I JUST KEEP THIS STORY GOING WITH THIS STORY OR MAKE A PART TWO? THANKS FOR READING...CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU.**_


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning Emery still kept her distance from Daryl. He didn't know what to do about her. Right now he had to focus on the fight at hand. Every one was getting ready to go back to the home they made. Take it back and claim it as their own once again. Emery couldn't get his words out of her head. Her promise to run if he was hurt. To make sure that she was safe no matter what. She knew that was a promise she wasn't going to keep. If anything happen to him there was no reason to keep going.

Life was hard enough fighting the dead. Now having to fight the living as well, every day it seemed it was getting easy to just give up. Emery looked up at Rick just in time to hear him say that they would be leaving in the middle of the night. As the group broke apart she retreated to the room. Just as she tried to shut the door Daryl slipped his foot between the door and door jam. Emery rolled her sat down on the bed.

Daryl stepped inside and shut the door behind him. Leaning against the wall he crossed his arms. Emery looked at him still annoyed but his comments the day before. After a few minutes of silence her anger grew. "If your waiting for me to apologize you might as well give up." She finally told him.

"I'm not expecting you to apologize." Daryl was calm and that mad her even madder.

"So I guess I should expect one from you either?" Emery stood up and approached him. "Well you can forget that promise I made you too. I'm not just gonna leave you to rot and save my ass if something happens to you."

"Why do you have to be so dam pig headed." Daryl stood up straight and looked her right in the eye.

"Look who's talking king pig." Her cup of anger over flew. She pushed him. "You boss me around like you have some right to." She pushed him again.

"And you wonder off like I'm always gonna be there to save you." He grabbed her by the arms. Emery jerked away pushing him again. "Stop it!" He yelled at her.

"Oh poor boy are you getting mad?" She mocked him. Daryl shook her violently back and then pulled her to him. With out warning his lips were against hers. Emery pulled back and just looked at him. This was the first time he'd kissed her since she'd been taken. He didn't know how she was going to react.

Emery starred him down. Then, as if she'd been kicked, she jumped toward him. Placing her hands on his face she began to kiss him back. Daryl didn't try to stop her instead he put his hands on her hips and lifted her until she rapped her legs around his waist. With their lips locked he carried her to the bed. Falling onto the bed she pulled him down on top of her.

She reached for his belt. Daryl stopped and looked down at her hands. She was shaking. He took a hold of her hand and stopped her. "Are you sure your ready?" He whispered to her. She just nodded her head. Reaching up she put her hand in his hair and pulled him back down for her to kiss. As he moved from her lips to her neck she went back to his belt. She worked to quickly remove his pant as he did the same for her.

Daryl moved slowly. It had been so long since they had been together. Positioning himself Emery begin to hold her breath. She was so nervous. But her body ached for his touch. He pushed himself into her slowly and gently. She let out a long deep breath as pleasure surged through her body. As he moved in and out of her he watched to make sure he wasn't hurting her. He was so worried he came to a stop.

"What's wrong?" Emery wondered what happened.

"Nothing." He began to move again. As his pace quickened she began to moan. He loved the sounds she made in between the sheets. He pushed himself deeper inside her. She let go of his arms and gripped the sheets. Twisting and squirming under him only made him move faster and harder. In no time at all he had cum.

Emery fell asleep in his arms, and there in the bed they stayed all afternoon. When night came everyone ate in silence. That night would be a long one. But when it was over they would back in their safe home.

As the group slowly made their way back to the building Shane had now claimed as his own everyone was silent. What was there to say. No one knew what would happen or if they would all make it back okay. The just knew this had to be settled once and for all. As they got closer they the uneasy feeling weighed them down even more.

Walking out of the woods and into the open they stopped. Eyes wide open and jaws down in shock no one could believe what they were seeing. The home they had all worked so hard to make was burning down. They watched in horror as their dreams of starting over came to an end.

Standing there it took them by surprise when Shane and the rest of his group walked to the front of the building to watch their handy work. Rage over took the group at the sight of those that took everything from them. Rick held his gun up and everyone followed suit. On the count of three they opened fire.

Shane was able to escape being hit. As he ran off Daryl noticed and chased after him. There was no way he was going to get away and possibly come back after Emery again. Behind him gun fire rang out through the night attracting walkers from every direction. Shane ran through the woods thinking no one had seen him. When Daryl stepped out from behind a tree he pointed his bow right between Shane's eyes.

"Going somewhere?" Daryl moved until Shane was backed against a tree.

"Shouldn't you be watching over your little slut?" Shane smiled.

"You mean the girl you couldn't get?" Shane jumped at Daryl knocking the bow out of his hands. Pinning Daryl on the ground Shane reached down to his boot and pulled out a knife. Holding it to his throat he mocked him.

"Once I kill you I'm gonna find that little bitch and kill her. And when she comes back as a walker I'm gonna keep her as a pet." Shane smirked. He pushed the knife against his throat harder. Suddenly Shane was off of Daryl and on the ground. Emery had jumped on Shane pulling him off Daryl. As they scuffled on the ground Daryl got to his feet. Grabbing his bow he turned and shot Shane through the head.

Emery pushed Shane's dead body off of her and got to her feet. Looking down at Shane a sense of closure fell over her and she hugged Daryl. It was over, the threat of Shane and his group was no more. But now they had to start all over. They were sure that as long as they had each other they would be able to make it through anything.

_**A/N**_****** SORRY THE CHAPTER ISN'T THAT LONG BUT THE DRAMA IS ABOUT TO REALLY GET GOING AGAIN. BIG SURPRISES IN STORE FOR THE GROUP!**


	24. Chapter 24

_**A/N*** I HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER IN CRICTAL CONDITION IN THE HOSPITAL SO UPDATING MY STORIES MAY TAKE A LITTLE LONGER. BUT PLEASE BARE WITH ME I AM NO GIVING UP ON WRITING.**_

The group returned the house to join the few that had stayed behind. Even though they had succeeded in removing the threat of Shane's group they still defeated. And as they walked through the front door their faces showed it. "What happen?" Hershel asked as Rick entered the house. How could he tell them? What would they do now that everything they worked for was gone?

Rick told the others what had happen. How Shane, Andrea and the rest of their group were gone. But also how the home they were looking forward to return to was gone. The somber look on everyone's face was heartbreaking. It told the story of a group that had just lost a long battle. Rick broke down and finally admitted what Shane had done.

Gasp and tears were shared among the group as they reacted to Rick's news. Where would they go now? How would they survive? Would they find another place and try to settle in again? If so what were the chances some one else wouldn't come along and try to take what they have? They talked about their options, but nothing seemed to be a good fit.

Night fell upon them with no resolution to their problem. Daryl slept with Emery rapped tightly in his arms. They had nothing left but each other. The next few weeks would be very trying. They had to find a new place to stay, and there was always a fight to find food. The group made the decision to leave in the morning and look for a new place to stay. Which meant time on the road and in the open. It was now clear that walkers weren't the biggest threat out there. At least you knew what a walker wanted. The living were far more sneaky in their attack.

When the sun rose Emery woke in Daryl's arms. With little left to their names it took no time to pack up to move on. For six weeks time they moved from house to house, building to building. Nothing seemed to fit. To small not enough room for everyone. To big couldn't keep everyone safe. After talking with Daryl and Merle about hunting and fishing options it was finally settled on. The group would make it's way to the Mississippi river. That should provide them with plenty food and fresh water.

Everyone agreed with the plan. But getting there would be one hell of a trek. As they started west the group came across a mall. They had lost almost everything to the fire. Not stopping wasn't an option. It had been six weeks and everybody needed something. Inside the large building they spread out. The mall had everything from camping supplies, to cookware.

Emery found a large bag and began filling it with cloths. Daryl picked up a few pair of pants to put his bag all while watching her. She had dark circles under her eyes and stopped every few minutes to yawn. She had been so tired the last week. He wondered if she'd become sick and not told him. Looking at the cloths he put a few shirts in his bag. When he looked back over Emery was gone.

"Dam it!" Daryl took off looking for her. He'd gotten about 100 feet from where she'd been when he herd what he thought was a walker. He cocked his bow and began his hunt. Rounding a corner he found Emery on her knees with her back to a walker. Daryl was quick to put an arrow through it's head. It fell to Emery's right side startling her. She looked at the walker and then turned back away from Daryl and threw up.

Standing there in shock Daryl hurried to Emery's side as she stood up. "What's wrong?" He asked as she wiped her mouth on her sleeve.

"Nothing, must have been something I ate."

"If something is wrong you need to tell me." Daryl sat her down on a bench. Emery looked up at him.

"I'm fine." She got up and went back to the bag she was packing. She didn't say anymore to him. But Daryl could tell she wasn't feeling well. From that moment on while they were in the mall he stayed with in arms reach of her. If she got sick again she wouldn't hear a walker sneak up on her.

Out front of the mall Daryl had found a brand new pick up truck with a cap on the back. They used the truck to pack all their new camping, fishing and hunting supplies in. Everyone else put their cloths and what not in the cars with them. They drove until it got dark. That night they would just sleep in the car. It was safer that way. Emery laid her head in Daryl's lap and curled up. He was quick to put a blanket over her. As she laid there she looked at the bracelet on her wrist. What were his real intentions when he gave her that. He noticed her looking at it and he took her hand.

"Your the first girl I've ever given jewelry to." He spoke softly.

"What if I told you that you couldn't get rid of me if you tried?" She asked still laying in his lap. Daryl wondered why she was asking such a weird question. "That your stuck with me for ever."

"I'm not stuck with you I want to be with you."

"Oh no Dixon your stuck with me." Her tone suggested something. He just wasn't sure what. Taking her by the shoulders he sat her up to look at her.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well Dixon, you knocked me up." Emery tried not to cry. But it didn't do her much good. Daryl looked out the window as rain began to fall from the sky. He didn't know what to say. What could he say. He'd never thought about having children. What has he going to do with a baby. Looking back at Emery he wiped a tear from her cheek. "Say something."

"You sure?"

"Pretty sure" Emery jumped as thunder roared through the sky. "What am I gonna do?"

"Were gonna take care of the baby." Daryl gently took her chin to bring her gaze back to him. "This is my baby, just like your my girl. I won't let anything happen to either of you."

Emery laid her head back in his lap. The sound of the rain against the windshield helped her fall asleep. Daryl looked from one side of the truck to the other. Just a few words and his life changed all over again. He could tell by the way Emery was breathing that she was asleep. He couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face. He was so happy. A boy to carry on the Dixon name. Some one to teach all the things he'd learned in life. Some one that would want him around no matter what.

_**SORRY THE CHAPTER WAS SHORT. I JUST REALLY WANTED TO UPDATE. THANKS FOR READING. I WILL UPDATE AS SOON AS I CAN. **_


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N** SORRY THE UPDATE TOOK SO LONG, HAD A DEATH IN THE FAMILY AND THEN HAD MAJOR SURGERY. JUST HADN'T FELT MUCH LIKE WRITING BUT I'M BACK AT IT NOW. THANKS FOR STICKING WITH ME. **

Over the next few weeks the group looked for a new safe haven. Emery woke every morning to sneak off to find a place to get sick in peace. After being sick every day for weeks straight every part of her body hurt. Even though she'd tried her best to hide it, it didn't take Rick or Hershel long to notice her strange behavior.

Stopped on the side of the road for lunch Rick watched as Emery walked into the trees and a few minutes later walked back out wiping her mouth. He turned from her to Daryl who was standing next to his truck. Rick approached him to find out what was going on. It was obvious she hadn't been bitten, she would of turned by now.

"What's wrong with Emery?" Rick leaned against the truck next to Daryl.

"Nothing." Daryl wasn't sure weather or not Emery was ready to tell the group she was pregnant.

"She's been sick for a while." Rick turned to Daryl waiting for some kind of answer. Daryl just looked at him. Emery walked toward the two of them. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Emery took a drink from a bottle that Daryl handed her.

"If there's something wrong you can tell me." Rick always had such a reassuring tone.

"I'm pregnant." Emery blurted out. Ricks eyes doubled in size.

"Is the baby yours?" He asked Daryl.

"Who the hell else's would it be?" Daryl huffed.

"Yes it's his." Emery stepped in between the two of them. "We need to find a safe place to stay soon."

The group packed up and moved on after lunch. Rick was worried about his family, but now the thought of a baby in the group changed things. They had been looking for weeks for something that came close to what they had. Nothing came close.

As night rolled in again they stopped at another abandoned house. Walking inside Emery stopped to get sick again. It was driving her nuts. She couldn't eat, she couldn't drink. Her head hurt, her body ached. It seemed like all she could do was sleep. Inside Rick insisted that Daryl and Emery take the bedroom with the large bed.

In the middle of the night Daryl crept through the house. When he found Hershel he woke him and ushered him away quietly. Taking him back to the room Emery was in he talked in a panic. "I can't get her to wake up. She moans, but I can't get her to open her eyes." It was clear that Daryl was upset.

"How long has it been since she ate?" Hershel asked as they entered the room.

"A couple days."

"And what about drinking?"

"She drinks water all the time, but then just gets sick." Daryl watched as Hershel looked her over. He was anxious. He'd never been around a pregnant woman, let alone one carrying his child.

"She's dehydrated. We need to get some fluids into her." Hershel reached into his bag and pulled out a needle and a bag of IV fluid. He found a vain in her arm started the IV. "This will hold her for the night, but we need to get her some stuff." The expression on Hershel's face said it all. Emery was sick and the pregnancy was putting her life at risk.

The following morning Emery woke opened her eyes to the sun. Looking around the room she noticed a figure sleeping in a chair in the corner. Raising her body to get a better look she felt a tug at her arm. She turned to the tape on her arm. She followed the line from her arm to the bag of IV fluid. She began to pull at the tape when she herd a voice. "I wouldn't do that girly." She knew right away who's voice she herd. Merle stood up and walked over to the bed.

Emery quickly moved back in the bed. Retreating from Merle's reach. "Whoa, relax there sweet cheeks. That's blood your carrying there. I won't hurt you." Merle almost gloated. "Don't you worry uncle Merle will take good care of that baby." Emery began to peal the tape from her arm. He reached down and took her hand. "You need to leave that alone."

"And you need to go to hell." Emery kicked him right in the crotch. Jerking the needle from her arm she ran from the room. She was confused. Nothing looked familiar, she'd never been in this house before. She ran past Rick and out the front door. The sun was high in the sky and burned her eyes. Rick came out to find out what she was doing. Hershel had told him that she should rest for the rest of the day. "Where's Daryl?" She yelled at Rick.

"He went to find you some stuff." Rick walked toward her slowly. She was clearly aggravated.

"He didn't tell me he was leaving." She didn't believe Rick.

"Emery you need to get back in bed." Hershel stood behind Rick. The men stood and watched. Emery looked from one man to the other. In the blink of an eye she ran to the side of the truck. Falling to her knees she began to get sick again. Rick put his arm around her shoulders trying to comfort her. When she looked up at him she had tears in her eyes.

"I'm so tired of being sick." She wiped the tears from her eyes as she got back to her feet. Before they reached the house the sound of car came tearing down the drive way. Daryl got out and rushed to her side. "I don't want to be pregnant any more." Whispering to Daryl she didn't want any one else to hear what she said.

"Lets get you back to bed."

Two months pasted of the same thing. Every night a new place, and every day a new search. Emery continued to get sick everyday. She was becoming withdrawn and down right hateful. Days would pass that she wouldn't say a word to Daryl. There were days she wouldn't speak to anybody but Rick. Daryl didn't know what to do. He wanted to help her, but he couldn't. Every time he asked if there was anything he could do for her she would look at him as though she wanted to kill him and tell him that she wanted him to end this pregnancy.

Night fell upon the group once again. This night Rick and Daryl were on watch together. "How's Emery?"

"She hates me." Daryl whispered looking at the ground. Any pride he'd gotten from his relationship with Emery was long gone now.

"I'm sure she doesn't hate you. She just hates being pregnant." Rick half laughed remembering the days of Lori hating him while she was pregnant.

"She keeps asking me to end the pregnancy. I don't know what to do."

"Just try not to piss her off. It will all be over soon. And as soon as she's holding that baby none of this will matter." Rick tried to reassure him. Daryl didn't feel it was much help. Emery was growing more hateful toward him with every day that passed.

"Hey, have you given any thought to the Mississippi river?" Daryl asked Rick.

"For what?"

"A place to live. It's great for hunting and fishing. Fresh water." Daryl had given it a lot of thought over the past couple months.

It didn't take long for every one in the group to hear about Daryl's idea. With in a week they were packed and headed for the Mississippi. After everything with Shane a fresh start is just what the group needed.

**NEW LOCATION, A BABY ON THE WAY, WHO KNOW'S WHAT'S NEXT.**


	26. Chapter 26

_**A/N*****SORRY THE UPDATES ARE TAKING SO LONG, BUT I HAVE NOT GIVEN UP, I'M STILL GOING. I HAVE A TIMELINE WRITEN FOR THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS JUST HAVE TO FIND THE TIME TO GET IT WRITEN. AND A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE LEFT REVIEWS. I LOVE ALL THE FEED BACK. MAKES ME WANT TO GET MORE DONE FASTER.**_

The group loaded the car and began to drive. Daryl drove in silence. Emery sat with her eyes closed. The motion of the car made her feel sick. She couldn't wait for the drive to be over. He looked over at her every few minutes. He wanted her to talk to him. Say something, anything. Tell him she loved him, tell him she hated him. Anything would work right now. He just wanted to hear her voice. When Rick pulled into a home depot parking lot Daryl followed. When the truck stopped Emery jumped out and thew up.

"Glen go see if that truck will start." Rick pointed to a large box truck. Glen hurried in the direction of the truck. Once they herd the truck start Rick turned back to the group. "We need to go in here and gather as much stuff as we can. It's hard to tell what we'll need when we get to the river." Rick led a group in the store. Daryl stays out side with the rest of the group to watch for walkers.

They loaded the truck with tools, wood, building supplies and stuff to make a new fence. They even manged to find a large solar panel system. Once the truck was full they started driving again. Emery didn't speak to Daryl. Not a single word and it was driving him nuts. He didn't know weather to feel bad or get mad. As the miles passed he decided he was mad. He did nothing wrong. She wanted to have sex just as much as him. How would he know that she would be sick like this. He was doing everything he could to make her happy. And she didn't seem to give a shit.

They reached the river by noon. As soon as Daryl stopped the truck Emery ran to find a tree. She had to pee and she wasn't waiting for them to find a toilet. Daryl walked to Rick, bow in hand. "We need to find a place to stay." Rick looked around. He saw Emery come out from behind the tree. "Things any better with her?"

Daryl looked back at Emery then back to Rick. "No, she ain't spoke a word to me in days." He wiped the sweat off his mouth with his arm. "Not even so much as a thank you or go to hell."

"It will get better." Rick half laughed.

Half the group broke up into teams of two and began looking for a safe place to stay. Nobody wanted to start over. But the hope was that this time things would stick. They would take a stand and no one would run them out of their home this time. That is if they could find a home. Staying with the cars Emery sat on the tail gate of the truck. Baking in the summer sun she closed her eyes to block out the bright light. The sound of feet made her open her eyes.

"Hey." Carol said rubbing her arm. Emery just smiled. "Not having any fun being pregnant?"

"I just wish it was over." Emery admitted. "I've been so mean to Daryl, I can't help it. When I see him all I can think is how much he should have to share in the sickness."

"It will get better. Once your holding that baby you won't even remember any of this." Carol walked away leaving Emery wondering if she was right.

Emery was now four and a half months along and her belly was really beginning to show it. But nothing was getting any better. She still felt sick all the time. And every time someone told her it would get better only made her want to scream. She didn't want to wait for it to get better she wanted it to be better now.

It was the middle of the afternoon when Maggie and Glen returned with good news. "There's a motel about an hour from here. And just half a mile from the river." Maggie spoke to Rick.

"It has two stories. We can use the top for sleeping rooms, and turn the bottom into a living room, kitchen." Glen said.

With every one back in the cars Glen lead them to the motel. It was a small country motel. You entered the rooms from the outside. The building was long with rooms on both sides. All the rooms were doubles, with a door between them. There were more than enough rooms. And Glens idea of tearing down the walls and opening up the bottom floor would work out great. Now the hard work would begin. Actually doing it.

The first thing they did was go room by room making sure there were no walkers, or squatters. After they cleared a room they boarded it up. Until everything was done they would stay in a group of rooms, one right next to the other. Safety in numbers.

As the night closed in around the group Daryl watched Emery climb into bed and cover up. She still hadn't spoke to him so he wasn't sure weather or not to get in bed with her. Laying with her back to him he slipped under the covers next to her. Still nothing. He figured that was better than her kicking him out of the bed.

Laying there in bed it had been a few hours and they were both asleep. Everything was silent. The only sound was the crickets out side. Daryl was sleeping peacefully. Until Emery shot up in bed and began to shake him. "Daryl, Daryl wake up?" She shook him until he sat up in bed.

"What? What's wrong?" He was worried. It was the first time she'd spoken to him and it was her waking him in the middle of the night. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach.

"Can you feel that?"

"What?"

"That, right there. Did you feel that?" Emery watched as he nodded his head yes. "The baby's moving." They sat there smiling each time they felt the tiny movements.

When they stopped feeling the movement she laid on his chest. Feeling the baby move gave her renewed hope that everyone was right. Things would get better. As she felt his chest rise and fall she was so pleased it was Daryl there holding her. Not someone else. Even so she still couldn't wait for the pregnancy to be over.

_**SORRY THE CHAPTER WAS KIND OF SHORT. MORE ACTION/DRAMA COMING SOON. AS ALWAYS THANKS FOR READING, LEAVE COMMENTS, I LOVE IT.**_


	27. Chapter 27

_**THIS IS A LITTLE FILLER, NOT MUCH ACTION. BUT ITS ABOUT TO GET CRAZY.**_

When the sun woke Daryl up he reached from his side of the bed to Emery's. He sighed. She was always wondering off and not telling him where she went or what she was doing. Pulling his pants on he grabbed a shirt and headed out the door. Out front of the motel Rick, Glen and Merle worked to unload the truck. Daryl walked

toward them. "You guys seen Emery?" He asked.

"Woman wonder off again?" Merle laughed. Daryl was growing more and more annoyed with his brother as the days past. He was always making some kind of about Emery. He even went as far as to say that she was carrying Rick's baby and not Daryl's.

"She said she was walking to the river with Carol and Maggie." Rick pointed in the direction of the women.

Daryl began to walk toward the women. It wasn't that he didn't think Emery couldn't take care of herself. He just felt that with her growing each and everyday she was safer with him around. As he walked he realized that he could no longer see the motel. It really bothered him that she would be going somewhere that she couldn't be seen by the group.

As he walked into a group of tree he herd Emery's voice. She was talking to some one, he just didn't know who. When she finally emerged from behind a tree she was holding something close to her body. "Look what I found?" She held out a small piglet. "Isn't cute?" She smiled like a child. It was the first time since she got pregnant that she had been this happy.

"That's not big enough to feed one person let alone the whole group." Daryl looked at her.

"Were not gonna eat him." She pulled the pig back to her. She knew he would eat the piglet.

"Where's Carol and Maggie?" He wondered why she was wondering around by herself.

"I was coming back to the motel, but I found this little guy."

"You can't be out here wondering around by yourself." Daryl put his arm around her to take her back to the motel.

"It's fine. So what are we gonna name this little guy?"

"Were not keeping that thing." Daryl had become some what sensitive toward Emery. But he was still very gruff.

"Fine we don't have to keep him, I will." She walked past him.

That night while the group Emery sat in the corner feeding her piglet. Daryl sat close by talking to Rick. There was a mall near by and park of the group was leaving in the morning to see what they could find. Daryl was happy to see her smile again. Even if he didn't like the piglet. Merle took his last bit and stood up. Walking toward Emery he just had to say something. He knew he got under her skin and he did it every chance he got. "I wouldn't name that thing, in a week it will be roasting over a fire." He laughed.

Daryl was pissed. Emery was finally happy and talking to him again and he had to stir up shit. "You shouldn't talk about little Merle that way." Emery covered the piglets ears.

"What?" Merle looked at her like he hadn't herd what she said.

"Well you about as big of a pig as they come, so I couldn't think of a better person to name him after." She stood up to face him. Merle got right in her face. Daryl stood up.

"If you weren't carrying my brothers baby I'd kick the shit out of you." He moved toward her. The veins in his head and neck began to bulge as he grew madder. Daryl stepped between the two of them.

"Dam it Merle just keep your mouth shut." He pushed his brother back.

Emery stood up and walked away with her piglet and a smile on her face. She got back to her room and let the piglet down to run around the room. It was only a few minutes before Daryl walked in. She laid on the bed rubbing her belly while he started taking his boots off. "I herd you and Rick talking. I'm going with you tomorrow." She looked at him matter of factly.

"I don't think that's a good idea, what if the mall gets over run with walkers?" He asked her and she just looked at him. "Shit." He gave up knowing that this wasn't a fight he could win.

The next morning the group left early in hopes of being back before dark. When they arrived at the mall Emery got out of the truck and grabbed a shot gun. When she turned around Daryl took the gun from her. "You can shot this."

"I hold it against my shoulder not my stomach." Emery took the gun back from him. Rick smiled. Daryl followed Emery around watching everything she did. He worried about what she ate, what she drank, and even walking around to much. It was very familiar to him. He did the same thing when Lori was pregnant.

They walked through the front door. Five walkers shuffled around the perfume counter. "That seems right, only people with no ability to smell would want that shit." Emery whispered. Maggie and Glen laughed. Rick held his finger to his mouth. Daryl stood up and shot one through the head with an arrow. The other four turned to the group. Glen beat one in the head with a bat, while Maggie killed one with a lawn mower blade she had found. Rick used a knife to killed another and Daryl pulled his arrow out of the one's head and pushed it through the last one's head.

"Alright, Glen, Maggie you go find cloths for everyone. Carol and I will look for first aid, health care stuff. Daryl and Emery you look for anything that can be used for a weapon. " Rick dispatched everyone. The group divide looking for certain things. Divide and concur.

Emery followed Daryl into a hunting store. They looked around as each of them began to stuff things into duffel bags. Emery opened a knife case and found one that she really liked. It came with a nice carrying case that you could attach to your belt. Well she didn't wear a belt so she just attached it to her pants. Moving to the next case she grabbed seven hand guns. That was all that remained. It was easy to see that they were not the first to come through this mall.

Daryl watched her as she moved from one spot to another. He had picked up six shot guns, three riffles, and a new cross bow. He managed to get all of those in one bag. As he tossed it over his shoulder he opened another bag and began stuffing it with all the ammunition he could fit in the bag. He took his eyes off her for just a moment to pick up some arrows. After fitting them in the bag he looked back up and once again she was gone. "Dam it!" He took off to find her.

Walking out of the store to the large open area he didn't see her. He dropped the bags and held up his bow. He was gonna go from store to store looking in every single store till he found her. There was no way in hell he would leave with out her. He began to walk when he noticed a baby store to his left. He thought that would be a good place to start. When he walked in he could see the back of her head. She was at the back of the store with her back to him. Lowering his bow he walked to her.

Reaching out he put his hand on her shoulder to turn her to him. He was fully ready to yell at her. Tell that she couldn't be acting like a child that had to have it's hand held. When he looked into her eye he saw the tears streaming down her face as she held tightly to a green blanket. "What's wrong, are you hurt?"

"This isn't fair." She wiped her eyes with the soft blanket. "What kind of life is this baby gonna have. It will never have it's own room. Never get to go to school. Have a birthday party with all it's friends. It will never have a Christmas morning surrounded by it's family." She grabbed Daryl putting her arms around him she bared her face in his chest. He sighed and looked up to see Glen and Maggie walking toward them. They had herd everything she said.

"It's okay." Maggie rubbed her back. She understood what Emery was saying. She missed everything about the life they all use to know. "This baby has family."

"Merle is not the kind of family I want for my baby." She cried.

"I mean us. Me Glen, Beth, Rick Carol. Were that babies family. Were your family." Maggie smiled at Emery turned from Daryl.

Emery looked around she had thought about the group as he family for a long time now. But for some reason she hadn't thought about them wanting to be family to the baby. She was comforted by the thought. "We have to get back to the truck." Glen looked at his watch. They had set ame to meet back at the truck.

"You go with them I have to go get the bags." Daryl sent Emery with Glen and Maggie so he could get the bags he'd filled.

Back at the motel Emery laid in bed as Daryl took his cloths off. He got in bed with her. She put her arms around his neck pulling him into a hug. The day had bee very emotional. "I will do what every I have to keep this baby safe and happy." Daryl whispered in her ear. Leaning back to look into her eyes he took her face in his hands. "I'll do what ever I have to to keep you safe and happy."

_**I HOPE TO UDATE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. I HAVE LOTS OF IDEAS FOR THIS STORY I REALLY HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY. THANKS AGAIN SO MUCH FOR READING. LOVE ALL THE FEEDBACK.**_


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